Controversial Texas Energy Plans Approved Despite Expert and Industry Criticism

Texas Senate Business and Commerce Committee approved Senate Bill 6, which proposes building natural gas-fired power plants that would sit idle at least 97% of the time, despite near-universal opposition from electric industry representatives and consumer advocacy groups. The bill would force Texans to pay $10 billion for a brand-new backup power system that may never be needed if the grid is managed correctly. A more practical solution proposed by Sen. Nathan Johnson, D-Dallas, with Senate Bill 2112, would standardize backup power packages using commercially available equipment and deploy them at critical facilities across the state, allowing private companies to compete for installation contracts.