At the Houstonian Hotel and Club, Tuesday, Lt. Governor Patrick and BlackRock's Larry Fink tried to sell investors on building new Texas gas power plants. Patrick joked that it felt like a "time share presentation." It was an interesting scene.. 1/
kut.org/energy-environ… The dynamic between Fink and Patrick is a story in its own right. Patrick helped push a boycott of Fink's company, pulling Texas pension money from the investment firm because BlackRock touted renewable energy investments. Patrick says, after that, the two started talking.. 2/

How does a Texas House committee vote out a $10 billion dollar plan to finance new gas power plants? First thing in the morning, in the State Agriculture Museum, with no recording made. Committee members say they were not even given enough time to read the bills. A thread: 1/ Lawmakers members "weren't able to ask any questions" ahead of the vote on the $10 billion plan, says @RafaelAnchia. "Members of the committee didn't even know what was in the documents." Anchia opposes the plan. 2/

The Public Utility Commission of Texas has released its assessment of the grid going into the summer. Regulators say that, for the first time, there are some scenarios where there will not be sufficient "on demand dispatchable power" to meet energy needs. What does that mean? 1/ The message from Texas regulators is that there may be scenarios late in the evening where wind and solar power will be essential to meeting power demand. If there is no wind blowing or sun shining, that could bring conservation calls or (worst case) blackouts. But... 2/

I'm on the ERCOT media call about tight grid conditions today. Will try to tweet some updates on this thread. Here is my write up of what's going on. NOTE: since this posted Texas has broken electricity demand record for June.
kut.org/energy-environ… ERCOT asking Texans to reduce electric use "until further notice," keeping conservation appeal through Friday.

Vistra Energy reached out to Governors office "to let them know we had concerns…" We reached out to the Public Utility Commission, Railroad Commission around the "9th and 10th and 11th" of February. Lots of talk about how much people knew this blackout was coming. Go back and look at tweets from people who follow the grid (including me) by Sunday morning, a lot of people were saying this looks like rolling blackouts (or worse).

Tweeting some highlights of the House Committee hearing on the Texas blackouts. This wont be comprehensive. Worth remembering that almost everyone who testifies has an interest in deflecting responsibility. First up. Curt Morgan CEO of Vistra Energy says he was aware a bad storm was coming a week before it hit. Says he contacted state agency's about coming winter storm and was "surprised by the lack of urgency" he encountered.

At scene of shooting at protest downtown, a protester gave me his account of what happened.
"As we’re walking down passing 4th street, a blue car just comes swerving out into the middle of the street almost runs over a bunch of protesters..." (1/4) "Everybody around starts, like, smacking the car trying to get him to slow down. And they stop. And some guy, he walks up and he’s like ‘hey just don’t do that you’re going to get somebody hurt.'" (2/4)