Another Texas summer is coming to an end soon, and despite the scorching temperatures, the electric grid has kept the A/C running. ERCOT didn’t falter when faced with a new all-time peak energy demand record on July 22. But hot, sunny days are only one end of the spectrum. According to a TPPF/Overton Insights poll released yesterday,...
Matthew Bernard wanted to build a home. He bought a small lot in Oakland, California, and began clearing several diseased and fallen trees that the local fire department had identified as hazards. The result was a $915,000 “mitigation fee” from the city of Oakland—nearly five times the value of the lot itself. Under Oakland’s tree ordinance,...
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...