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Erin Douglas is the environment reporter for the Texas Tribune. She was previously a business and economy reporter at the Houston Chronicle where she covered labor, energy and the environment. Before moving to Texas, Erin worked as an intern at Bloomberg in New York and at The Denver Post, her hometown newspaper. Erin studied journalism and economics at Colorado State University. Based in Houston, Erin is always planning her next road trip across Texas.
A bill advancing in the House seeks to ban spent nuclear fuel, one of the most dangerous types of radioactive waste, from coming to Texas. Full Story
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Members of the Texas Railroad Commission were quick to blame renewable energy for power outages across the state. All sources of energy struggled to produce power during the storm. Full Story
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Some say lawmakers should go further to ensure power plants can withstand increased weather due to climate change. And they worry that much of the legislation advancing will be up to the Public Utility Commission to enforce. Full Story
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Senate Bill 3 would require all power generators, transmission lines, natural gas facilities and pipelines to make upgrades for extreme weather. Its prospects are uncertain in the House, which is scheduled to take up a series of related, standalone bills on Tuesday. Full Story
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In return, lawmakers would agree to create a revenue stream for Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway through an additional charge on Texans’ power bills. Full Story
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A bill to stop cities from banning natural gas as a fuel source for heating homes and other buildings is being advanced as priority storm-response legislation following the February power outages. Full Story
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The bills, which include mandating weatherization of power plants, reforming the ERCOT board and creating a state emergency communications system, are “a work in progress.” Full Story
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Dozens of natural gas companies failed to do the paperwork that would keep their facilities powered during an emergency, so utilities cut their electricity at the very moment that power plants most needed fuel. The mid-storm scramble to fix the problem exposed a regulatory blind spot. Full Story
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The bill would direct state investment funds to divest from companies that cut ties with fossil fuel companies, pitting Texas against some increasingly carbon-conscious Wall Street investors. Full Story
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Politically powerful natural gas production and transportation companies, along with their regulators, appear to have so far escaped the wrath of the governor and the Legislature in the aftermath of the Texas power outages. Full Story
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According to the terms of his employment contract, Bill Magness' severance pay would have been equivalent to one year of his current base salary. Full Story
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An independent market monitor for the Public Utility Commission of Texas wrote in a letter that the power grid operator kept market prices too high for nearly two days after widespread outages ended. Full Story
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Bill Magness is the latest official to depart following the winter storm catastrophe. Full Story
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On Monday, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick called for PUC Chair DeAnn Walker and Electric Reliability Council of Texas CEO Bill Magness to resign. Full Story
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Who are the major players and how do they manage the power grid in Texas? Full Story
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In the power grid operator’s first board meeting since Texas’ power outages, a sixth ERCOT board member confirmed his resignation, and new details show that a shortage of natural gas fuel was a bigger problem last week than in 2011. Full Story
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Oil refineries, chemical plants and other industrial operators emitted 3.5 million pounds of excess pollution during the winter storm and power crisis in Texas, according to an analysis of company notices provided to state regulators. Full Story
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Five board members, including the chair, who do not live in Texas will resign. A candidate for another position on the board has withdrawn his application. The vacancies will not immediately be filled. Full Story
Retroactively equipping power plants to withstand cold temperatures is likely to be very difficult and costly, energy experts say. Building energy infrastructure to perform in winter conditions is easier — and cheaper. Full Story
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Officials with the Electric Reliability Council of Texas said that grid operators implemented blackouts to avoid a catastrophic failure that could have left Texans in the dark for months. Full Story
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