The Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT)

Electric grid managers say Texas needs more transmission. But the new power lines were opposed by rural landowners, opponents of renewable energy and many state politicians.

The state's power grid operator had already planned on auditing several data center proposals, but Abbott's directive reworks the timeline and adds new requirements.

Critics say the governor must call legislators to Austin to pass state laws regulating data centers.

The governor said the Public Utility Commission of Texas and ERCOT must take steps to prevent the cost of data center infrastructure from being passed on to electricity customers.

Texas leads the nation in utilities shutting off electricity and natural gas services to customers who can't afford their energy bills, according to a report released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas reported that peak energy demand could quadruple by 2032, but cautioned that its estimate is likely too high and must be revised.

Oil and gas companies have said the region needs more power. Environmentalists and a conservative think tank worry the state is moving too fast — and ratepayers will see the costs in their bills.

A report from the Texas Reliability Entity shows that the ERCOT grid is increasingly reliable. And that’s mostly because of solar and battery storage additions to the state’s energy portfolio. That directly contradicts President Trump’s Department of Energy.

Individuals and businesses who sued Texas utility companies for cutting power during the deadly 2021 winter storm didn't adequately prove the companies' negligence, the court ruled Friday, but one of their claims can still move forward.

ERCOT says conditions this winter could spark extreme cold, but additional power supply and continued weatherization efforts will lower the risk of power outages.