Photo by: Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer
Texas will receive tens of millions of dollars in funding toward expanding and hardening its power grid, as the Biden administration seeks to rapidly shift the U.S. economy away from fossil fuels.
The Department of Energy will award up to $3.5 billion in funding for 58 projects across 44 states, with four projects at least in some part in Texas, according to an announcement last week. Among the projects in Texas are San Antonio utility CPS Energy's $32 million planned construction of microgrids based around solar and battery energy.
The funding comes from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which Congress passed in 2021. The resilience of the U.S. power grid has fallen into increasing question in recent years, with Texas receiving particular scrutiny after the large-scale blackouts during Winter Storm Uri in 2021.
"There is a tidal wave of clean energy investment coming," Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said. "The grid as it currently sits is not equipped to handle all the new demand."
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The Public Utility Commission also got an update on new power source from ERCOT, the state grid operator, and discussed other programs that could help.
 Photo by: Jon Shapley, Staff Photographer | | Industry lobbyists spoke against the Legislature's low-interest loans for natural gas power plants. | |
 Photo by: Eric Gay/Associated Press | | In its monthly meeting Tuesday, the state grid operator's board offered updates on a plan to increase generation it needs to get through the winter. | |
 Photo by: KENT NISHIMURA, NYT | | Texas hydrogen hub will bring in $1.2B for green and blue hydrogen facilities to fight climate change. | |
 Photo by: Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer | | At issue were pay raises and revised terms for paid sick leave for unionized employees. | |
 Photo by: Kin Man Hui/Staff File Photo | | There's not much time to add such a position, as the city-owned utility is to present its proposal by the end of the month. Rates could go up early next year. | |
 Photo by: Jon Shapley/Staff Photographer | | The Permian Basin in West Texas is the nation's most prolific oil field, but that could change. | |
 Photo by: Brett Coomer/Staff Photographer | | Much of the ERCOT board meeting revolved around the rapid pace of change on the Texas power grid this summer. | |
 Photo by: Shell / Shell | | The administration has proposed three oil and gas lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico, a sharp decline from previous administrations. | |
 Photo by: Godofredo A Vásquez, Houston Chronicle / Staff Photographer | | A deal with Venezuela's opposition party in exchange for concessions from the Biden administration could be a boon to the Gulf Coast. | |
 Photo by: Yi-Chin Lee, Staff Photographer | | Tudor Pickering & Holt helped fund the shale revolution. A former partner now targets the climate-fueled energy transition. | |
 Photo by: Courtesy Nabors Industries | | Texas again led the US rig count higher for a second week, jumping seven rigs for the week. | |
 Photo by: Morgan-Taylor Thomas/Reporter-Telegram | | The Permian Basin International Oil Show opened its doors, celebrating the innovations the industry has made to improve quality of life globally. | |
What We're Reading
A coal-fired power plant owned by Austin Energy was supposed to shut down by the end of 2022. The fact that it's still running illustrates the legal, economic and technological obstacles cities face in their quests to eliminate emissions, the Texas Tribune reports.
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