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HOUSTON (Reuters) - The Texas attorney general on Wednesday said state law allows the utilities regulator to cut billions of dollars from storm-inflated electric bills, an endorsement that came hours after the ouster of the regulator who opposed retroactive cuts.
FILE PHOTO: An electrical substation is seen after winter weather caused electricity blackouts in Houston, Texas, U.S. February 20, 2021. REUTERS/Go Nakamura/File Photo
The drive to reverse $4.1 billion in emergency prices gained momentum after a magazine published inflammatory comments by Public Utility Commission Chair Arthur D’Andrea. In a March 9 call with Bank of America analysts and investors, he said he “tipped the scale” to protect utility profits. He also minimized the financial pain caused by storm pricing to municipal power companies.
Gov. Greg Abbott has accepted Public Utility Commission Chair Arthur D’Andrea’s resignation.
Public Utility Commission Chair Arthur D’Andrea, the only remaining member of the three-seat board that regulates Texas utilities, is resigning from his post, Gov. Greg Abbott said Tuesday night.
Abbott said in a statement that he asked for and accepted D’Andrea’s resignation and plans to name “a replacement in the coming days who will have the responsibility of charting a new and fresh course for the agency.” D’Andrea’s resignation will be effective immediately upon the appointment of a successor, according to a copy of D’Andrea’s resignation letter that was obtained by The Texas Tribune.
Electricity repricing bill hits wall in House, marking first major schism with Senate this session
SHAWN MULCAHY, CASSANDRA POLLOCK AND PATRICK SVITEK, The Texas Tribune
March 16, 2021
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Utility workers repair a burnt-out switch in Austin, Texas, Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021. Scores of Texans who have reported skyrocketing electric bills in the storm s aftermath. For some whose electricity prices are not fixed and are instead tied to the fluctuating wholesale price, the spikes have been astronomical. (Tamir Kalifa/The New York Times)TAMIR KALIFA, STR / NYT
The Texas Senate s hurried push to reverse billions of dollars in charges for wholesale electricity during last month’s winter storm appeared to hit a wall Tuesday in the House, a setback that drew consternation from Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and marked the first major schism between the two chambers this legislative session.
Texas power failure: Last public utility commissioner resigns at Gov. Abbott s request Chuck Lindell and John C Moritz Austin Bureau USA TODAY NETWORK, Austin American-Statesman This is the largest train wreck: Texas senator questions ERCOT CEO about power grid
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The third and final member of the Texas Public Utility Commission has resigned at the request of Gov. Greg Abbott, another casualty of the state s inability to keep its power grid running during last month s catastrophic winter storms.
The forced resignation of Commissioner Arthur D Andrea late Tuesday also added fuel to a political fire that is sweeping the Texas Legislature, where lawmakers have been divided over the next steps in addressing the widespread power outages.
AUSTIN The third and final member of the Texas Public Utility Commission resigned late Tuesday at the request of Gov. Greg Abbott, another casualty of the state s inability to keep its power grid operational during last month s catastrophic winter storm. Tonight, I asked for and accepted the resignation of PUC Commissioner Arthur D’Andrea, Abbott said in a news release just before 9 p.m. I will be naming a replacement in the coming days who will have the responsibility of charting a new and fresh course for the agency. Texans deserve to have trust and confidence in the Public Utility Commission, and this action is one of many steps that will be taken to achieve that goal.