California Gov. Gavin Newsom has a lot to say about the environment and also about government-funded high-speed rail in his state. As usual, he leaves out a lot of important context. In the third and final part of our look at Shawn Ryan’s marathon mid-July podcast with Newsom, we share what Newsom won’t. In the...
The Public Utility Commission of Texas should pause implementation of ERCOT’s Strategic Transmission Expansion Plan (STEP) and carefully evaluate more affordable, reliable alternatives before committing Texans to the largest transmission projects in state history. While Texas faces growing electricity demand from population growth, industrial expansion, and data centers, STEP fails to address the state’s most...
Testimony of Brent Bennett, Ph.D. Policy Director, Life:Powered Texas Public Policy Foundation July 29, 2026 Chairman Schwertner and Members of the Committee: Thank you for another opportunity to testify about the important challenges facing the Texas electric grid and particularly on the urgent challenge of transmission planning. We all agree that Texas needs more reliable...