A map of Texas showing the state's transmission lines is a focal point in the control room of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which operates most of the state's power grid.

As electricity demand grows, ERCOT faces two crises: insufficient generation and inadequate transmission.

A pumpjack is obscured by the heat as it operates on dry farmland with large windmills near Midland.

Texas lawmakers ignored electric power industry executives and critics like me who, two years ago, blasted their taxpayer-funded loan program to build more natural gas power plants. Today, the Texas Energy Fund is cratering.

Constellation Energy, one of the nation’s largest electricity generators, became the fourth firm to withdraw projects from the loan program last week. More will likely follow as the Legislature passes new laws based on ideology and cronyism rather than reality and good governance.

The Texas Energy Fund and other dumb proposals for governing the state’s electric grid are coming from the state Senate, which is controlled by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. When Texans experience statewide shortages of electricity, blame him and his acolytes.

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The TEF is a $5 billion loan program lawmakers claimed would encourage the quick construction of new natural gas power plants while prohibiting funds for battery projects. Executives warned lawmakers in public testimony that financing was not the problem and they didn’t want loans; they needed greater certainty about revenue from the competitive........

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