Out of commission: fixing the Texas power grid

I’ve been talking a lot in this space recently about writing my new novel, but I’m also still plugging away at energy writing. This past Sunday, I was quoted in a Houston Chronicle editorial. I wrote a business column for the Chronicle for nine years, but I was never on the editorial board, and I’m pretty sure this is the first time I’ve been quoted in an editorial. 

The topic related to the February freeze and the related power failures, which also happens to be the subject of my latest blog post for Forbes as a University of Houston Energy Scholar. The post makes the case that Texas needs better regulatory oversight that recognizes the interconnections between the electricity and natural gas systems. I explore the idea of eliminating the Texas Railroad Commission and the Public Utility Commission, and creating a new agency that combines the functions of both. 

The new commission would oversee the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, the state’s grid operator, and ensure that natural gas production continued to flow to power plants during extreme weather events. 

As I noted in my comments to the Chronicle, the natural gas industry has largely gotten a pass from state lawmakers when it comes to blame for the power crisis. But it’s time we recognize that natural gas and electricity are interdependent in this state, and we need someone coordinating the efforts to keep the lights — or more importantly the heat and air conditioning — on. 

Despite what Gov. Greg Abbott says, Texas has not done enough to prevent a future power crisis. 

By the way, if you’d like to see more of my recent writings on the power failure, you can also check out my articles for Texas Monthly over the past few months.