Anyone know why #MISO needed to order an emergency load shed yesterday? It cited unplanned generation and transmission outages, but ... what happened?

Vistra spends $1.9 billion to buy gas plants. NRG spends $12 billion to buy gas plants. Constellation spends $16.4 billion to buy gas plants. That’s ~$30 billion and not a single new gas plant built. Folks, we’ve got to build new generation, not just change the names on the gate.

To be competitive in AI race, the political right will need to accept the need for solar+batteries, and the political left will need to accept the need for natgas peakers. So says New politics needed for a new energy world.

Three times state officials decided an oilfield waste dump wasn't suitable for Joaquin, Texas. They process took five years and two weeks of hearings. Railroad Commissioners approved it anyway--after three minutes of discussion. www.texasmonthly.com/news-politic...

Some personal news... www.linkedin.com/posts/russel...

The race is on, and the U.S. is falling behind.

He killed their loved one. During their victim impact statements, they asked to hug him. elpasomatters.org/2025/04/22/v...

Dammit, gotta watch Andor now

"Let's try do to no harm." That's what ERCOT CEO Pablo Vegas told the Legislature two years ago about a bill similar to one that could get a vote in committee tomorrow. He said the retroactive requirements would undermine ERCOT's ability to have "the energy that we need." 1/

Not one, but two Subarus outside my local central Austin gun shop. Is the left arming itself? Is there a shift in political consumerism?

Fifteen years ago today. A tragedy of oil and engineering hubris.

Fascinating & highlights an issue ERCOT flagged at mtg this month. Sudden large load drops becoming a growing grid issue.

Stunning photo of sinkhole near McCamey, with oil oil well in the middle. Yeah, that's oil in pit. Check out people on left for scale.

This might make the coasts uncomfortable, but Texas has been leading the way on certain issues (housing, energy) for years, and the rest of the country is just figuring this out. (from @conordougherty.bsky.social 's latest in the NYT magazine)

Rural Texans speaking up for a diverse, reliable energy grid — one that includes solar + batteries + gas + nukes + wind...

Why should Texas use more renewables on its electricity grid? It frees up natural gas for export, part 65. Abu Dhabi energy giant buys 24% stake in Eagle Ford upstream & Calcasieu pass LNG export play. www.prnewswire.com/news-release...

This could get interesting. Worth watching: 📃 Republicans float climate tariffs with a carbon removal twist www.axios.com/newsletters/... #axiosgenerate

For the past couple years, rumors have swirled about the $$$ behind Texas' Draconian anti-renewable push. Now, some names are emerging and, of course, there's a #Landman connection. energyandpolicy.org/who-is-stewa...

ERCOT is now keeping an eye on bitcoin miners suddenly tripping off... a rapid 330mw drop can cause voltage fluctuations. Not a crisis, but getting more common.

Thank you! What a great email to receive out of the blue!

Nailed it.

Say we need to build a new bridge or interstate transmission line or SMR nuke ... who should decide where it goes, and whose neighborhood gets disrupted? The President? The courts? Someone else? Interesting new piece by Mark Dunkelman in the Atlantic. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...

We're breaking energy production records. Our greenhouse gas emissions are down. Energy prices are not high. So why does the Trump administration want to dramatically change course? The answer lies with Harold Hamm. My (first) NYT essay: www.nytimes.com/2025/03/24/o...

If you have to ask how much the gorditas are, you are not worthy of the gorditas.

Solar breaks another record in ERCOT. And 54% of electricity.

To quote the eminent seismologist Jerry Lee Lewis, there's a whole lotta shakin' goin' on.

On E. 6th Street in Austin, a high-tech ops center overseeing gigawatts of wind and solar. A few blocks away, under the Capitol dome, a bill gaining strength that would be an "industry killer." The very Texas fight over renewable energy is my latest: www.texasmonthly.com/news-politic...

Hello, Salem Nuke! Looking for a 48 year old!

Smoke em while you (still) got em www.chron.com/politics/art...

He Saved the Texas Oil Industry. Then the Feds Accused Him of Colluding With the Saudis. The untold story of Scott Sheffield. www.texasmonthly.com/news-politic...

A modest proposal to Frenchify the Texas economy. (Let's turn the historic French legation into an Airbnb, and other ideas.) www.texasmonthly.com/news-politic...

Need to sign an indemnity agreement to visit a ranch that lists "detonating explosives" as a "recreational activity." Oh, Texas! You had me at explosives.

"Approximately 4 miles West of Alpine, Sheriff Dodson disabled the rear tire of the vehicle with a well placed round from his 1911 pistol." bigbendsentinel.com/2024/12/29/b...

Spotted pair of coyotes in urban Austin this morning (around 35th street, in creek bed.) They seemed to be enjoying the New Year.

From the Dallas Fed energy survey... the headline "all firms" looks positive, but the large E&P firms are not so cheery — and they are bulk of production and spending.

Well, accidental investigations are rare.

Austin Winter is almost here ❤️

Cachito vs. Kolache: What's the difference? My stomach demands an answer.

I am obsessed with the "Miramax Channel" on my TV. It's always playing the Godfather (or Mission: Impossible II) -- I've never seen it play an actual Miramax movie. And given the whole Harvey Weinstein of it all — why use it as a brand?

Thinking of starting a GoFundMe to raise $163 for an Enron hoodie and bumper sticker. enron.com/collections/...

‪Finishing new book by @jrdsllvn.bsky.social on the largest environmental disaster that practically no one talks about: The TVA's 2008 Kingston coal ash disaster, and the human toll of cleaning it up. It is a jarring tale of lies, litigation and really unhealthy dust.

A 25% tariff on Canadian oil would impact one region of the US in particular. The pipeline system is built to purchase & refine Canadian crude. Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, Utah: Get ready for higher gas prices.

Ho hum, just an 80% emissions free electricity day in Texas.

New life for old batteries. Element Energy announced a large utility-storage facility in West Texas using — reusing, actually — old EV batteries. If it's new and interesting in energy, it's in Texas. Part 324. www.canarymedia.com/articles/lon...

In 2015, a minor aviation mishap introduced me to Chris Wright, Trump's proposed Energy Secretary. I was impressed with what he was doing. www.texasmonthly.com/news-politic...

In 2015, a minor aviation mishap introduced me to Chris Wright, Trump's proposed Energy Secretary. I was impressed with what he was doing. www.texasmonthly.com/news-politic...

The Longhorn, like many of us, has a long and tangled immigrant story to share." Photos by Joel Salcido & words by John Phillips Santos, which is a knockout one-two punch. In the new @texasmonthly.bsky.social www.texasmonthly.com/being-texan/...

I visited Occidental's new, $1.3 billion pair of lungs to remove CO2 from the air and ended up feeling something strange: Optimism. www.texasmonthly.com/news-politic...

Texas is gerrymandered to favor the GOP. We played around with a redistricting program and created a map that generated 26 safe/leaning D Congressional seats to 12 safe/leaning R seats. What happened to our representative democracy? www.texasmonthly.com/news-politic...

Nice scoop. This is going to get expensive. www.houstonchronicle.com/news/investi...