The Texas Tribune
Ever since last month’s winter weather disaster, Gov. Greg Abbott has worked to lay blame squarely on the state’s electrical-grid operator despite the fact that it is overseen by the Abbott-appointed Public Utility Commission.
But as state lawmakers dig in on their response to the crisis, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is making it harder and harder to look away from the commission, shining a harsh spotlight on Abbott’s people and their decisions.
Last week, Patrick called for the resignation of the PUC chair at the time, DeAnn Walker and hours later, she called it quits. Then, after a regulatory watchdog told the commission earlier this week that the Electric Reliability Council ofTexas had overcharged power providers by $16 billion during the storm, Patrick demanded the PUC retroactively reduce the costs and Abbott deemed it an emergency item for the legislative session the next day.
House speaker pushes using Texas savings, Biden relief money to help weatherproof power plants
Loans funded with the state’s “rainy day” dollars could spur weatherization and help Texas avoid a repeat of last month’s blackouts, Speaker Dade Phelan says.
Updated at 2:48 p.m., March 12, 2021: to include White House spokeswoman’s comment about Phelan’s idea of using federal money and note introduction in Texas House of legislation to create “SURF” fund.
AUSTIN House Speaker Dade Phelan is the first state GOP leader to outline a way to pay for electricity generators to be weatherproofed so Texas can avoid a repeat of last month’s prolonged blackouts.
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