Claire Hao

Texas agency spent at least $43K to withhold info on power plant loan program The Public Utility Commission has spent at least $55K suing Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office to block disclosure of records related to the Texas Energy Fund and cryptocurrency mines.

Texas agency spent at least $55K to withhold info about power plant loan program, cryptocurrency mines, via @clairehao.bsky.social www.houstonchronicle.com/business/ene...

Trump hates wind energy. Why does Texas have more than any other state? President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized wind energy over the years. Yet decades ago, it was Texas Republicans who started the U.S. wind-power boom.

President Trump might be wind power's biggest critic. Yet, it was Texas Republicans who started the U.S. wind boom 20+ years ago.

How did Texas, a Republican stronghold, come to dominate in an energy source that many Republican politicians now love to hate? www.houstonchronicle.com/business/ene...

Where did Griddy’s money go? The trail leads to lawyers and a global bank The now-defunct Griddy Energy paid large sums to creditors like an Australian investment bank and ERCOT, but customers who were charged sky-high electricity bills may never get their money back.

Lawyers, Griddy's former execs, and "administrative" fees ate up much of the rest.

There's a slim chance that Griddy’s former customers could get some of their money back. But that possibility is still caught up in a court battle expected to last years. www.houstonchronicle.com/business/ene...

That's because Griddy, which filed for bankruptcy soon after the 2021 storm, has little money left to distribute.

Where did its money go? Mostly to Griddy's financial backer, an Australian investment bank. That same bank earned lots from its trading activities during the freeze.

During the 2021 freeze, Griddy made lots of headlines for charging customers thousands of $$ for electricity.

It agreed to forgive all unpaid bills in a settlement w/ the Texas AG. Those who paid could seek reimbursements.

Years later, customers haven't gotten back a dime. 🧵

CenterPoint will soon charge nearly $1.2B for Hurricane Beryl and other storms State regulators gave CenterPoint Energy permission to charge Houston-area customers almost $1.2 billion for last year’s Hurricane Beryl and other storms.

Remember when some Texas lawmakers suggested CenterPoint shouldn't be allowed to charge Houston residents for its Hurricane Beryl costs last summer?

Here's my pitch for local journalism: We follow up. www.houstonchronicle.com/business/ene...

Entergy’s plan to build a power line across Lake Livingston faces pushback Entergy Texas has proposed building a new transmission line across Lake Livingston. Some residents are worried about water quality impacts.

Entergy wants to build a power line across Lake Livingston. Will it risk Houston’s drinking water? via @clairehao.bsky.social
www.houstonchronicle.com/business/ene...

How much your energy bill could increase if Entergy's power plants get approved Entergy Texas, the electric utility for Houston’s fastest-growing suburbs, says new power supply is urgently needed to keep up with the region’s expansion.

$2.4B Entergy proposal for new power plants could increase energy bills in Houston suburbs, via @clairehao.bsky.social www.houstonchronicle.com/business/ene...

Struggling to pay for electricity? Here's a list of places that can help Both government and nonprofit organizations offer financial assistance for people struggling to afford their electricity bills.

If you or others are struggling to pay your power bill, we've updated our paywall-free story with available resources.

Keep in mind, also, that providers can't disconnect your power during extreme weather or if you've gotten a medical exemption: www.houstonchronicle.com/business/ene...

Why is there such a sharp spike in Houston-area residents seeking help paying their utility bills?

Electricity costs, like other living costs, have risen. Families are feeling the strain, and nonprofits say they are overwhelmed with asks for aid.

Why aid for energy bills is falling short in Houston’s hottest months Demand for utility bill assistance is only growing as rising energy costs strain families’ wallets across the Houston region, nonprofits and advocates say.

Earlier this month, the Houston-area application portal for utility bill assistance crashed — because a record 100k people tried to apply for just 5,000 slots set aside for August & September.

For context, in the entirety of 2024, 44k people applied: www.houstonchronicle.com/business/ene...

Are those Houston yard signs offering free generators a scam? What we found. The messages on yard signs around Houston promoting free back-up generators through a government-funded program might sound too good to be true.

Are those Houston yard signs offering free generators too good to be true? Here’s what @clairehao.bsky.social found. www.houstonchronicle.com/business/ene...

Houston-area cities fight CenterPoint’s $1.3B rate hike for Beryl, other storms CenterPoint Energy wants to charge customers $1.3 billion for Hurricane Beryl and other storms. Houston-area cities say that’s too much.

Houston-area cities fight CenterPoint’s proposed $1.3B rate hike for Hurricane Beryl, other storms, via @clairehao.bsky.social www.houstonchronicle.com/business/ene...

Texas flood response sparks outrage: 'A masterclass in how not to communicate' Professional crisis communicators watched the news conferences with dismay. Deflecting blame is not helpful if politicians want to build trust with the public, they say.

Response to deadly Texas floods was 'a masterclass in how not to communicate,' experts say, via @clairehao.bsky.social and @rebekahfward.bsky.social

www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

The dramatic rise and fall of Houston solar powerhouse Sunnova Energy Houston-based rooftop solar company Sunnova Energy filed for bankruptcy in June. It offers stark lessons for the future of the U.S. residential solar industry.

Houston solar powerhouse Sunnova Energy had a quick rise — and a dramatic fall.

What happened, and what does Sunnova's bankruptcy filing mean for the U.S. residential solar industry's future? I tackled those questions here: www.houstonchronicle.com/business/ene...

Texans could see rising energy costs as Trump's new law slows clean energy Less solar and wind power will be built in Texas as a result of the “One Big Beautiful Bill” signed into law by President Donald Trump on the Fourth of July.

Less clean energy — perhaps much less — will be built in Texas as a result of the “One Big Beautiful Bill” signed into law by President Donald Trump on the Fourth of July.

That could raise energy costs for everyday residents: www.houstonchronicle.com/business/ene...

Elderly advocates say the status quo is inadequate in protecting Texas' seniors. And yet...

“We're in the same place as we were this time last year,” the deputy state long-term care ombudsman said.

More below on Harris County's mandate, now likely defunct: hcfmo.net/Divisions/Prev

Efforts to protect Houston seniors with backup power fail in Texas Legislature A year after Hurricane Beryl, none of the many bills filed by Houston-area lawmakers to require backup power at senior homes passed.

After Hurricane Beryl, Houston-area Democrats redoubled their fight to require generators or other types of backup power at senior homes.

A year later, none of their bills passed. The only new law cancels out Harris County's own backup power mandate: www.houstonchronicle.com/business/ene...

Many Texans cut back on ‘basic needs’ to pay electricity bills, study finds Nearly 80% of low- to moderate-income Houston-area residents said they cut back on “basic household needs” to afford electricity.

Low- to moderate-income residents in the Houston area struggle to pay their energy bills more than residents in other parts of Texas, a statewide nonprofit found in its new report.

Meanwhile, the government's safety net to help such residents is fraying: www.houstonchronicle.com/business/ene...

Texas leaders vowed to make CenterPoint pay after Beryl's blackouts. Did they? Vows of a $480M refund for CenterPoint customers have yet to be fulfilled a year after Hurricane Beryl left nearly a million Texans without power for four days.

NEW: We asked TX leaders if they're REALLY sure CenterPoint is giving back $100s of millions consumers spent on unused generators -- since documents indicate otherwise.
They pointed us to a spreadsheet that is VERY scant on detail. w/
@clairehao.bsky.social
www.houstonchronicle.com/news/investi...

5 things to know about Texas leaders’ broken Hurricane Beryl promises Texas leaders didn't fulfill vows to ensure CenterPoint refunds Houstonians for unused generators and to reform how utilities make money, the Chronicle found.

We have a shorter, more digestible "five takeaways" version too.

Our reporting looked at two vows: 1) to refund Houstonians $480M for CenterPoint's unused generators, and 2) to change utility incentives, so they don't just make more money by spending big: www.houstonchronicle.com/news/investi...

Texas leaders vowed to make CenterPoint pay after Beryl's blackouts. Did they? Vows of a $480M refund for CenterPoint customers have yet to be fulfilled a year after Hurricane Beryl left nearly a million Texans without power for four days.

There was a lot of anger at CenterPoint after Hurricane Beryl last year — and a lot of talk from Texas politicians about reform.

Nearly a year later, did leaders keep those big promises? Mostly no.

W/ @neenareports.bsky.social, who I learn so much from: www.houstonchronicle.com/news/investi...

Why Houston could see a surge of new gas-fired power plants A new report from the Environmental Integrity Project tracks 130 proposals for gas-fired power plants in Texas.

Interactive map: How AI is fueling a surge of gas power-plant proposals in the Houston area, via @rebekahfward.bsky.social and @clairehao.bsky.social

www.houstonchronicle.com/projects/202...

Renewable energy project cancellations spike in Texas: 'A canary in a coal mine' Renewable energy and battery storage companies are canceling their Texas projects at rates unseen since 2021, according to an analysis of ERCOT data.

Renewable energy & battery project cancellations in April and May spiked to levels unseen since 2021's COVID-19 woes, per a recent analysis of ERCOT data.

Tariffs and the uncertain fate of the tax credits are to blame: “It’s like a canary in a coal mine.” www.houstonchronicle.com/business/ene...

Can $350M in taxpayer funds make Texas the next nuclear energy powerhouse? Texas sets aside $350M to lure advanced nuclear companies, fueling debate over risks, rewards, and the state’s energy ambitions.

Texas is betting big on nuclear: Lawmakers have approved a new $350M taxpayer-backed fund to give companies grants to develop new projects.

The amount did drop significantly after months of debate. Gov. Abbott said he looks forward to signing the bill: www.houstonchronicle.com/business/ene...

Houston solar company Sunnova Energy files for bankruptcy after mass layoffs Sunnova Energy, the struggling Houston-based residential solar company, has filed for bankruptcy, according to court and regulatory filings.

Houston's Sunnova Energy has filed for bankruptcy, according to court & regulatory filings.

The news comes days after Sunnova told federal regulators it had laid off 55% of its workforce: www.houstonchronicle.com/business/ene...

Houston solar company Sunnova Energy lays off 700+ employees Sunnova Energy has laid off 718 employees, or approximately 55% of its workforce, in a desperate bid to slash costs as one of its subsidiaries files for bankruptcy.

So, the jokes about announcing bad news yesterday, when everyone's attention was elsewhere? Houston's Sunnova Energy seems to have actually done that.

The solar company has laid off 700+ employees, or 55% of its workforce, per a Thursday SEC filing: www.houstonchronicle.com/business/ene...

Is CenterPoint ready for hurricane season? CEO touts ‘unprecedented’ prep CenterPoint executives say they have made key changes since Hurricane Beryl, so its Houston-area power grid is ready for hurricane season this year.

Is CenterPoint ready for hurricane season? CEO Jason Wells touted a list of "unprecedented" prep to the Chronicle's ed board yesterday.

City & community leaders say CenterPoint's responsiveness has improved since Beryl. Still, they want more transparency. www.houstonchronicle.com/business/ene...

"It's Easier to Build Here," Texas Energy After the 89th Legislature with Claire Hao Houston Chronicle energy reporter Claire Hao covered the legislative session in depth; she joined me to discuss what passed, what didn't, and what it means for the future of the Texas grid

I was joined by the @houstonchronicle.com's @clairehao.bsky.social to unpack the major energy issues in the 89th Legislature, including the anti-energy development bills that didn't make, the nuclear and large load bills that did, and much more. #txlege #txenergy
www.douglewin.com/p/its-easier...

Renewable energy survived Texas attacks. Its future now depends on Trump. Texas bills targeting solar and wind power are dead, so the state’s flourishing renewable energy industry remains alive and well — for now.

It’s official: Texas bills targeting solar and wind power are dead.

Here's a recap of the arguments that worked, as the renewable energy industry tries the same appeals to lobby against Trump's "big, beautiful bill." www.houstonchronicle.com/business/ene...