Articles by Emily Foxhall

Federal Government Opens Two Areas in Gulf of Mexico for Wind Farms, but No Companies Bid on Leases

The federal government for the first time on Tuesday opened two areas in the Gulf of Mexico off the Texas coast to build wind farms. Groups representing supply chain businesses hailed the chance for the new offshore leases to create …

Federal Government to Allow Lease of Gulf of Mexico Areas for Wind Farms

GALVESTON — The federal government on Thursday announced the first-ever chance for companies to lease areas in the Gulf of Mexico to build wind farms, including two parcels roughly 30 miles off the Texas coast near Galveston. Renewable energy developers …

Texas Power Grid Operator Can’t be Sued Over 2021 Winter Storm, High Court Rules

The Supreme Court of Texas narrowly decided Friday that sovereign immunity, which largely shields government agencies from civil lawsuits, also protects the operator of the Texas electric grid. The 5-4 opinion will likely free the nonprofit corporation from lawsuits filed …

Rural Texans Oppose Wind and Solar Development

FRANKLIN COUNTY — Volunteer firefighter Jim Emery grew emotional as he spoke to the crowd at an anti-solar development town hall meeting in his northeast Texas community. Emery, who worked for decades at the nearby coal power plant before it …

Texas Utility Regulators Propose Changes to Electricity Market

The winter storm that hit Texas in February 2021 strained the state’s electricity grid so much that power had to be cut to millions of homes and businesses to prevent the grid’s complete failure. At least 200 people died, many …

Lawsuits Pile Up Two Years After Winter Storm Uri

HOUSTON — When Cherrilyn Nedd left her uncomfortably cold Summerwood home during the February 2021 winter storm to stay with her in-laws — who had a generator — she never expected that she would return to find the house ruined. …

Regulators Approve Texas Electricity Market Reform

The Public Utility Commission voted Thursday to make a substantial change to the state’s electricity market in a controversial effort to get the whole system to be more reliable. The agency said it will let the Legislature review its plan …

Texas Supreme Court Hears Whether ERCOT is Immune From Lawsuits

Lawyers argued before the Texas Supreme Court on Monday over whether the state’s power grid operator should be protected from lawsuits, a question that has become especially important after the deadly February 2021 freeze. Individuals and insurance companies have filed …

Texas’ ERCOT Given Federal Permission to Exceed Air Quality Limits

The U.S. Department of Energy has cleared the way for Texas power plants to pollute more than is usually allowed, such as by burning dirtier fuel oil instead of natural gas, to keep the electricity on through Christmas morning. The …

Texas Officials Confident in Power Grid as Temperatures Plummet

State officials warned residents Wednesday to prepare their homes and vehicles for the coming freeze while trying to reassure on-edge Texans that the electric grid will stay online. Temperatures are expected to plummet Thursday into single digits — with even …