Texas Energy Report NewsClips
Friday July 31, 2026
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Good morning! Here are today’s Texas Energy Report NewsClips
Oil prices extended declines Friday as signs of a recovery in crude flows through the Strait of Hormuz eased supply concerns, after a resumption of hostilities between U.S. and Iran had sent them higher.
WTI futures for September delivery dropped 1.62% to $82.24.
Brent crude futures fell by 0.98%% to $88.16 a barrel.
Commonwealth Bank of Australia said in a note on Friday that stronger oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz had eased market concerns after U.S.-Iran strikes earlier this week briefly pushed Brent above $93 a barrel.
The bank estimates traffic through the vital waterway has recovered to roughly 30%-35% of pre-war levels, adding that a rebound to around 50%-60% of normal flows could be enough to reassert oversupply conditions in the global oil market.
Investors also weighed President Donald Trump’s call to add tariffs on Iran to a bipartisan sanctions bill targeting Tehran and Russia.
Top Stories
E&E News By Politico – July 30, 2026
Clean energy group targets state races
The renewable energy industry is turning its attention to state-level races in the run-up to November’s midterm elections. Advanced Energy United, an industry group, this month released a set of state policy road maps for incumbent governors and gubernatorial candidates that detail strategies to deploy renewable energy more quickly. The group also is holding conversations with gubernatorial candidates of both parties — a recognition of the importance that statehouses play in the nitty-gritty of energy work, said one of the organization’s top officials.
“The vast majority of energy policy takes place at the state level, and governors have the biggest platform to make changes on that level,” said Dylan Reed, who leads the group’s federal and political affairs. “We’ve worked in previous cycles to tell governors that investing in advanced energy solutions should be a priority and can be an economic development issue.
“This year,” he added, “energy is like a top two issue for everyone on the ballot.” Advanced Energy United has put out road maps for a dozen states, including ones with battleground races such as Wisconsin, Iowa and Nevada. The group also is set to hold a fireside chat next month with Steve Hilton, the Republican candidate for California governor, as well as individual meetings with candidates.
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San Antonio Express-News – July 30, 2026
Valero profit jumps 400% on Venezuelan crude supply*
Fueled by Venezuelan crude, Valero Energy Corp.’s profit vaulted more than 400%, setting a second-quarter earnings record. The San Antonio-based refiner reported a steady heavy crude supply out of Venezuela, with both supply and exports out of the country growing. As processing rates of that crude rise in the coming months, Valero expects its capacity to exceed its historical maximum.
“We‘ve been the largest U.S. consumer of Venezuelan crude over the last several years,” said Randy Hawkins, vice president of crude and feedstocks supply and trading. “We expect that to continue going forward.” The influx of Venezuelan crude comes amid a volatile global market for oil as Iran maintains its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz and Ukraine launches drone and missile attacks against Russian refineries. CEO and President Lane Riggs said Valero’s strong balance sheet is a result of navigating these fluctuating market conditions and seizing opportunities across its refining, renewable diesel and ethanol segments.
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The Texan – July 30, 2026
Texas Power Transmission Lines Project Under Fire at Senate Committee Hearing
The Texas Senate Committee on Business and Commerce met for a nearly 16-hour hearing on July 29 to discuss the state of the Texas grid and the potential implementation of new 765-kilovolt (kV) transmission lines. The proposed $33 billion project would span the width of the state and aim to deliver East Texas energy to what officials indicate is a growing grid reliability problem in West Texas. Members of the committee received a slide deck from the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) with visuals depicting the reasons the organization decided to propose the massive 765-kV builds.
Panelists in support of the builds cited that the 765-kV lines would cover less “right of way” ground — ground utilized by the expanse of the transmission tower — and ultimately disrupt less Texas land than their 345-kV companions, according to Public Utility Commission (PUC) Chairman Thomas Gleeson. Panelists said that due to a lack of reliable 24-hour energy in West Texas — the area that operates a majority of the state’s oil and gas production — a solution needed to be administered by the PUC and ERCOT. Gleeson argued that the 765-kV lines were the optimal technical solution to the problem. The alternative solution, using 345-kV lines, would result in the creation of a “spider web” of lines cutting across the state, and more importantly for many critics of the project, through more private property.
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Utility Dive – July 30, 2026
Under pressure, Entergy looks to mitigate cost of $1.8B Texas gas plant purchase
Entergy is looking for ways to “mitigate the impact” of a $1.8 billion gas plant purchase it has asked Louisiana regulators to approve, CEO Drew Marsh told analysts on Wednesday. The company has come under pressure regarding the potential bill impacts associated with the purchase of the 1.26-GW Cottonwood plant in Texas, and whether it will be used primarily to power new data centers. “We know that Cottonwood isn’t the shiniest new plant out there, but it is the most economic opportunity for our existing customers and the non-data center industrial growth that we are seeing,” Marsh told analysts during the company’s second-quarter earnings call.
The purchase must be approved by the Louisiana Public Service Commission and is under additional scrutiny following a June PSC staff analysis that found the deal could add upwards of $7 to the bill of a customer using 1,000 kWh/month. The staff report spurred a local news article questioning whether Meta should pay for the purchase, as the company is developing data centers in Entergy’s service territory.
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S&P Global Platts – July 30, 2026
Global oil shock offers boost for EV switching, fossil phaseout: IEA
The global oil shock from the war in the Middle East is accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles, according to the International Energy Agency, which sees the transition displacing 5 million barrels/day of oil by the end of the decade. Global EV sales hit a record of 20 million units in 2025, rising 20% annually and displacing some 1.7 million b/d of global oil demand, according to the IEA. In 2026, EV sales are expected to make up 28% of total car purchases, rising to 50% by 2035, the agency said in a report published July 30.
Rapid electrification of the transport sector has been the driving force behind projections of a plateau in global oil demand, which the IEA has said could peak as early as 2030 under its stated energy policies. However, higher oil prices could spur new adoption through additional policy initiatives and better economics for drivers, the IEA said, recalling historic shifts linked to previous crises.
The Latest TERse Tips
Exxon Mobil is scheduled to release its 2nd quarter earnings results after we go to press. The announcement should appear after 5:30 am CT at the Exxon Mobil Investors Relations page here
Chevron is scheduled to release its 2nd quarter earnings results after we go press, before 8 am CT, and will appear at the Chevron Investors Relations page here with an investor call set for 10 am CT
US Data Centre Developers Shift Focus to Existing Pipelines as New Capacity Additions Slow in Q1 2026 — a report from Wood Mackenzie
The Dow Chemical Co.’s unexpected windfall earnings in the second quarter of 2026 and potential for ongoing earnings gains in 2026 reduce credit risks at the current rating — as a result, S&P Global Ratings affirmed its ratings on Dow and its subsidiaries, including the ‘BBB-’ issuer credit rating, ‘BBB-’ issue-level ratings, and ‘A-3’ short-term rating, and revised its rating outlook to stable from negative — S&P Global
The national average for a gallon of regular gasoline is the same as it was last week: $4.09, according to AAA
Archrock Inc. Outlook Revised To Positive From Stable On Improving Leverage And Scale; ‘BB-‘ Ratings Affirmed — S&P Global
Fitch Ratings has assigned a ‘BB+’ instrument rating to CenterPoint Energy, Inc.’s series E fixed-to-fixed reset rate junior subordinated notes due 2058 — Fitch
Fitch Ratings has assigned a ‘BBB+’ rating to Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s first mortgage bond issuance — Fitch
The Bandera Electric Cooperative board unanimously approved a resolution urging the Texas Department of Transportation to accelerate safety improvements along Texas 46, where the cooperative said 13 people have been killed in crashes since 2016 — Texas Public Radio
The National Labor Relations Board revived a union’s bid to expand the types of workers it represents at a rural electrical cooperative in Kansas — the NLRB reversed Wednesday a regional director and found that the Wheatland Electric Cooperative Inc. warehouse workers can vote to join an International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers affiliate. They share the necessary interests with the other job classifications represented by the union — Bloomberg*
Iran to get Chinese shoulder-launched missile systems in weeks, sources say — Yahoo! News
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Oil & Gas Texas
USA Herald – July 29, 2026
$2.2B Permian Combo to Transform Permian Basin Royalty Trust Into Industry Powerhouse
A sweeping transformation is underway in the heart of America’s energy sector as the $2.2B Permian Combo brings together SoftVest LP and Blackbeard Holdings in a transaction valued at approximately $2.24 billion. The landmark agreement will merge the Dallas-based Permian Basin Royalty Trust with Blackbeard’s extensive oil, gas, mineral, and land portfolio, creating a publicly traded land and minerals company designed for long-term growth.
The deal represents more than a corporate merger—it is a strategic reshaping of one of the nation’s most recognizable royalty trusts. Like fitting together pieces of a decades-old puzzle, the combination aims to reunite valuable assets while modernizing a business structure that has remained largely unchanged for 45 years. Paul Hastings LLP is serving as legal adviser to SoftVest, while Vinson & Elkins LLP is representing Blackbeard Holdings throughout the transaction.
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Zacks/Yahoo! News – July 30, 2026
Oil States International (OIS) Tops Q2 Earnings and Revenue Estimates
Oil States International (OIS) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.14 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.11 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.09 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items. This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +27.27%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this energy services company would post earnings of $0.08 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.09, delivering a surprise of +12.5%.
Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times. Oil States International, which belongs to the Zacks Oil and Gas – Mechanical and and Equipment industry, posted revenues of $156.66 million for the quarter ended June 2026, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.01%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $165.41 million. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates just once over the last four quarters.
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Gas Compression Magazine – July 30, 2026
Baker Hughes Technology For Louisiana LNG Expansion Project
Baker Hughes will provide liquefaction solutions to Venture Global LNG for its CP2 liquefied natural gas (LNG) expansion project in Cameron Parish, Louisiana. The scope includes six liquefaction blocks for a total of 12 liquefaction modules. Each block is based on two single mixed-refrigerant liquefaction modules and related compression trains featuring Baker Hughes’ centrifugal compressor technology, as well as cold boxes, air coolers, and integrated control systems.
The CP2 LNG project is emerging as one of the largest LNG export developments currently under construction in the United States. Located adjacent to the Venture Global LNG’s Calcasieu Pass facility, CP2 is designed to produce approximately 29 MTPA of LNG and will be supported by the CP Express Pipeline, which will transport natural gas from Texas and Louisiana to the export terminal. The new pipeline originates in Jasper County, Texas, and passes through Newton County, Texas, and Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana, before it ends at the CP2 terminal.
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Bloomberg (blog) – July 30, 2026
Jeff Currie’s Post-Goldman Trajectory Takes Him Toward Offshore Oil IPO
Jeff Currie made his name on Wall Street with big energy calls as Goldman Sachs Group’s commodities chief. Now he’s joining the industry he once covered by staking a claim in the Gulf of Mexico, the heart of US offshore oil drilling. Bloomberg’s Mitchell Ferman and Neil Campling scooped the news that 1947 Oil & Gas, where Currie is a founder and non-executive director, is preparing for an IPO in London. The company name nods to the year the first offshore oil well was drilled in the gulf — and the listing comes as 1947 Oil & Gas pursues a $65 million acquisition of Houston-based Renaissance Offshore.
Renaissance produces about 3,350 barrels of oil equivalent a day from shallow-water fields off Louisiana. With hubs in Houston and New Orleans, the offshore industry in the gulf accounts for almost all of US production from coastal waters. Currie was head of Goldman’s commodities research before joining Carlyle Group in 2024. He was known for big predictions that came true — he warned of a price shock in early 2022 ahead of a 30% surge in Brent crude in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — and mea culpas for misses like a 2023 forecast for a commodities rally. “We were wrong,” he said. He will be alongside a number of Texans at 1947 Oil & Gas. The executive chairman is Tim Duncan, founder and former CEO of Houston-based offshore producer Talos Energy. And Renaissance President and CFO Brian Romere — whose LinkedIn profile cites an MBA from the University of Texas to go with his undergrad degree from Texas A&M — will hold those roles once the acquisition is complete.
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Santa Fe New Mexican – July 30, 2026
Regulators approve private equity buyout of New Mexico Gas Co.
New Mexico regulators, in a divided vote Thursday morning, approved the acquisition of the state’s largest natural gas utility by a private equity firm. The sale of New Mexico Gas Co. to Louisiana-based Bernhard Capital Partners for $1.25 billion is the first of two private equity takeovers of utilities proposed in the state in recent years. Private equity giant Blackstone also is seeking the Public Regulation Commission’s approval to acquire Public Service Company of New Mexico.
The commission’s approval of the New Mexico Gas buyout from Canadian energy company Emera came after staunch opposition by environmentalists and consumer advocates, including the state Department of Justice. Critics argued the benefits offered by Bernhard Capital do not outweigh the risks posed to customers, including potentially higher rates and reduced corporate transparency from private equity ownership.
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World Oil – July 30, 2026
Texas Railroad Commission issues second deep geothermal well permit
The Texas Railroad Commission (RRC) has issued its second permit for a deep geopressured geothermal well, marking another milestone in the state’s emerging geothermal sector as regulators leverage decades of oil and gas oversight to support new subsurface energy technologies. The permit was issued this month to Quidnet Energy Deployment LLC for a geothermal energy storage well in Galveston County. It follows the RRC’s first deep geopressured geothermal permit, issued in February 2025 to Sage Geosystems for a project in Atascosa County designed to provide energy storage for the San Miguel Electric Cooperative.
The RRC assumed jurisdiction over geothermal well regulation from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality in September 2023. Because geothermal development shares many of the same drilling, completion and subsurface engineering practices used in the oil and gas industry, the agency said it is applying its existing regulatory expertise to oversee the sector’s growth while maintaining environmental and safety standards.
Oil & Gas National & International
CNBC – July 30, 2026
Egypt said Thursday that a drone hit two ships at its Mediterranean port of Damietta, as attacks on energy infrastructure widen across the Middle East. Cairo said an initial investigation found that a drone attack Wednesday caused a fire onboard the ships, according to the state owned Middle East News Agency. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack. The fires broke out on a regasification ship and a storage vessel, according to Egypt’s Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources.
Damietta is the site of a liquefied natural gas hub. The Energos Winter floating storage and regasification unit and the GasLog Salem LNG tanker were damaged, according to the trade intelligence firm Kpler. “The situation was immediately dealt with in accordance with the approved emergency and rapid response plans through the coordinated efforts of the competent authorities and the on-site firefighting and safety teams,” the ministry said in a statement.
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The Wall Street Journal – July 30, 2026
Shell Turns Refineries Up to 11 During Oil-Price Surge*
The energy crisis sparked by the war with Iran has prompted Shell SHEL -0.14%decrease; down pointing triangle to produce at more than 100%. The British energy giant said it ran its refineries at 102% of capacity during the second quarter, eking out more jet fuel and diesel to take advantage of soaring prices. That’s harder than simply turning a knob, like the amplifier in the mockumentary “This Is Spinal Tap” that goes past 10. “In all assets there are opportunities to take away some of the bottlenecks and produce above 100%,” Shell Chief Executive Wael Sawan said in an interview. “The challenge is to do it for 90 days in a row.”
So far, that strategy is paying off. Shell on Thursday said second-quarter profit more than doubled, driven by higher prices and a strong performance from its trading arm. Sawan said Shell has been working to boost output from various businesses during a time of deep disruption in energy markets, in large part because of the squeeze on the Street of Hormuz. That includes increasing oil production and shipments of liquefied natural gas—or LNG—from facilities outside the Middle East, such as its new terminal in western Canada. Moves by Shell and others in the industry have helped the global energy system adapt to the shock stemming from the Iran war, helping prevent outright shortages from materializing. A few months ago, Shell directed its refineries to produce more jet fuel, raising production by nearly 20%, Sawan said. Now its refineries have shifted to producing more diesel and gasoline.
Still, the conflict in the Middle East has left the energy system in a more fragile state, Sawan said. Stocks and strategic reserves have been drawn down, and producers outside the region are producing at close to—or above—full capacity. “The energy system has been much more resilient than many, including ourselves, would have feared,” Sawan said. “At the same time…those shock absorbers are just weakening, which simply means that further supply shocks will have an amplified effect on the overall system.” Shell has also been a victim of the conflict. The company has lost roughly 10% of its total production because of damaged or shut-down assets in Qatar, where it owns the Pearl gas-to-liquids plant and has a 30% stake in a QatarEnergy LNG facility. The company was preparing to restart production from Pearl and load LNG cargoes from Qatar, but new strikes between the U.S. and Iran put those plans on hold, Sawan said.
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Bloomberg – July 30, 2026
US Refiners See Billions in Profits From Global Fuel Crunch
US refiners running all-out to meet a global fuel shortage posted some of their most profitable quarters ever, as years of domestic refinery closures and wars tightened supplies worldwide. Valero Energy Corp. reported its most profitable quarter on record Thursday as measured by earnings per share, while PBF Energy Inc. and HF Sinclair Corp. reported the best profits since 2022 and 2023 respectively. Next week, other refining giants like Phillips 66 and Marathon Petroleum Corp. are set to report, with investors also expecting blockbuster results.
Years of refinery closures had already left fuel markets with little cushion. Now, the war with Iran has disrupted fuel exports from the Middle East while Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries have curbed exports of gasoline and diesel. Together, the disruptions have drained global fuel inventories and driven prices higher around the world. With demand holding relatively steady, gasoline and diesel stockpiles are showing little sign of rebuilding, meaning markets will remain tight and prices will stay high. And while fuel production often slows into the fall, American refiners are indicating they will continue to chase near-record margins. “Product inventories will be slow to rebuild, and the restocking that ultimately must occur should provide a favorable backdrop for refining margins over the quarters to come,” PBF Energy CEO Matthew C. Lucey said on an earnings call.
Valero’s second-quarter net income increased more than five-fold year-over-year, up to $3.7 billion from $714 million the year prior. HF Sinclair’s net income roughly quadrupled to $892 million, while PBF’s rose over $1 billion from a loss in the same period of 2025. Heading into the next quarter, Valero and HF Sinclair both projected minimal declines in the average amount of crude oil they process into fuel on a daily basis. PBF, which ran nearly 890,000 barrels a day of crude in the second quarter, expects a higher run rate of as much as 960,000 barrels a day next quarter. And the profits may look even better as the fuel crunch continues.
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The Wall Street Journal – July 30, 2026
Big Oil Is Raking In Billions From the Iran War. Can It Avoid Trump’s Fury?*
Back in March, President Trump rejoiced at soaring oil prices, saying: “We make a lot of money.” Now, his oil allies are set to collect a windfall, and Trump isn’t so happy anymore. Thanks to U.S. crude prices averaging $95 a barrel between March and June—up from about $66 before the Iran war—ExxonMobil, Chevron, ConocoPhillips and Occidental Petroleum are expected to collectively rake in some $31 billion in earnings for the second quarter of the year, according to FactSet estimates. That is up from about $12 billion for the same period last year. The cash bonanza is bound to fuel mounting tensions between the industry and its White House ally as the conflict in the Middle East expands and gasoline prices have risen past $4 a gallon.
“I don’t necessarily think the Trump administration is a friend of the profitability of oil companies,” said Dan Pickering, founder of Pickering Energy Partners, a financial firm. Republicans fear the lingering war will hurt their fortunes in the midterm elections. Trump has told advisers they need to pressure gasoline retailers and oil companies to reduce prices, The Wall Street Journal has reported. Aides have convened a series of meetings to discuss ways to try to drive gas prices down before the elections. Trump last month said he ordered the Justice Department to investigate oil companies and named Exxon, Chevron, Shell and BP as targets.
The oil-and-gas industry is walking a tightrope. It is profiting from a war it didn’t want but is still in Trump’s crosshairs. At the same time, it has long pledged to investors to use its cash to reward shareholders, not grow production, and chief executives don’t expect prices to stay high long enough beyond the conflict to justify changing their drilling plans. With no solutions in sight, oil producers have little choice but to try to communicate goodwill to the administration—and play the role of whipping boy as the crisis endures, observers say. “Political pressure only goes so far,” said Dan Eberhart, CEO of oil-field services company Canary. “Oil companies are economic actors.”
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Reuters – July 30, 2026
QatarEnergy buys 33 US LNG cargoes to offset Hormuz disruption, sources say
QatarEnergy (QE) has bought 33 spot LNG cargoes this year from the U.S. for delivery to South Korea, Taiwan, Bangladesh, India and Japan, four trade and industry sources said, as it tried to reduce disruption to key customers after Qatari gas exports through the Strait of Hormuz were halted by the Iran war. QE declared force majeure on its liquefied natural gas shipments after Iran closed the waterway to shipping, bottling up 20% of global oil and gas supplies from major producers that export from terminals around the Gulf.
The purchases of U.S. LNG dwarf the four cargoes QE bought last year as it sought to keep some of its customers supplied despite the force majeure declaration, which releases it from contractual obligations. Qatar was seeking to protect its decades-long reputation as one of the world’s most reliable gas suppliers, the sources said. … The 33 cargoes amount to a third of a month’s exports from QE before the conflict and were worth around $1 billion, according to Reuters calculations.
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Reuters – July 30, 2026
Argentina’s growth paradox: Shale riches grow as jobs disappear elsewhere*
Ramiro Ramirez, a trained mechanic, found work in just a month at Argentina’s Vaca Muerta, home of one of the world’s largest shale oil and gas reserves, where he earns 10 times his previous salary as a cook. His new life operating a gas compressor is not easy. Ramirez, 25, leaves his city in Neuquen province at 5 a.m. for a daily two-hour ride to oil fields by the small, dusty town of Añelo, which has swelled with newcomers seeking work since the formation’s production rose sharply in recent years.
He hopes to make a career at Vaca Muerta, a bright spot in President Javier Milei’s austerity-heavy economic playbook that contrasts sharply with job losses across the country. “All in all, I feel pretty good,” said Ramirez. “These are very desired positions.” Vaca Muerta could be a transformative force for Argentina’s economy, which needs dollars to contain inflation and repay loans to the International Monetary Fund. YPF, Argentina’s state-run energy company, projects that by 2031, the formation will generate $50 billion in export dollars, rivaling Argentina’s agriculture sector.
Utilities, Electricity & Renewables
KUT NPR – July 30, 2026
Big new power lines could prevent blackouts in Texas, but landowner opposition is fierce
Opponents of new ultra-high-voltage transmission lines voiced their concerns into the wee hours of the morning at a 15-hour-long state capitol hearing on Wednesday and Thursday. Speakers shared their fear over the project’s local impacts, their anger over the proliferation of data centers and their distrust of renewable energy. State regulators and grid managers say that new electric transmission is necessary to maintain Texas grid reliability. But the long night of protest laid bare the challenges ahead for major additions to the energy system.
Here are some key takeaways.
Grid operators say the state needs new transmission to avoid blackouts The 765 kilovolt transmission lines would be constructed in phases to move more electricity, more efficiently, around fast-growing Texas. The first phase of that larger transmission network, the routing of which is already underway, is called the Permian Basin Reliability Plan.
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Canary Media – July 30, 2026
This Texas coal mine will soon be home to a 1.2GW solar farm
Construction is underway on a $1.7 billion solar and battery storage project in Texas that will turn existing coal mining land into a hub of clean energy generation. Panamint Capital announced last week that it broke ground on the 1.2-gigawatt Big Rooter Power solar farm in Bremond, about halfway between Dallas and Houston. The project will use some of the land and assets from the adjacent Twin Oaks coal-fired power plant and Calvert surface coal mine, both of which will continue operating.
Panamint’s clean energy project will be among the largest in the nation — and, the developer claims, the biggest solar array ever built at a brownfield site in North America. “We believe deploying new capacity at existing energy sites is the clearest way to benefit communities, ratepayers, and the environment alike,” said Apolka Totth, CEO of Panamint, a Nevada-based investment firm.
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Utility Dive – July 30, 2026
Texas approves AI data center co-location next to wind farm, with curtailment caveats
The Public Utility Commission of Texas last week approved a net metering arrangement for a 260-MW AI data center co-located with a wind farm of approximately the same capacity in a case that could serve as a template for other co-located loads in the Lone Star State. The data center is the second one planned for the site, and the developer had argued it should not be subject to the same curtailment requirements as the first because the total load of both – about 525 MW – exceeds the generation resource’s capacity of 265.5 MW.
The commission rejected that argument. According to the July 23 order, the data center must be capable of curtailing its full load within 30 minutes during grid emergencies, with physical breaker disconnection if necessary. It is also barred from participating in paid demand response programs tied to the arrangement.
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WOAI – July 30, 2026
Texas accused of allowing data centers to use loophole in pollution regulations
Data centers are going up all over Texas. But two data centers being built on San Antonio’s far west side are meeting with resistance from homeowners and environmental groups because they’re both constructing natural gas power plants and setting up dozens of diesel generators right next to neighborhoods. The News 4 I-Team investigated allegations that the state is allowing the data centers to side-step pollution safeguards.
Environmental groups claim the state allowed the data centers to use a permitting loophole so they could avoid strict pollution controls and build power plants on-site without notifying nearby homeowners. “At first I thought it was a medical center, maybe a university building,” said homeowner David Thompson.
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E&E News By Politico – uly 27, 2026
NextEra aims to cash in on surging power demand from data centers
NextEra Energy is trying to position itself as the electricity source of choice for artificial intelligence. The power giant’s moves were on display Friday as company executives announced their quarterly earnings. NextEra said it had received approval from Iowa regulators to restart a shuttered nuclear power plant that will sell electricity to Google. In Florida, the number of data centers seeking to connect to the company’s system grew by 2 gigawatts — more than the peak electricity consumption of Orlando’s local utility.
In their biggest move of all, NextEra executives expressed confidence in finalizing the $67 billion acquisition of Dominion Energy, the Virginia-utility at the heart of the country’s data center boom. NextEra has leaned into its status as the country’s largest power company, with executives using it as a talking point as they attempt to convince Virginia regulators to approve the Dominion deal. The State Corporation Commission, which is reviewing the proposal, recently published a procedural order that will extend the review period from 60 to 180 days. “Scale matters because it creates efficiencies that compound over time into lower costs, better experience, and stronger outcomes for customers, which has never been more important given the challenges being faced today,” NextEra CEO John Ketchum told investors.
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Reuters – July 26, 2026
Japan considers foreign bank financing for $33 billion US power projects*
Japan is considering financing from foreign banks for natural gas-fired power generation projects in the United States that form part of its $550 billion U.S. investment pledge. “If financing from foreign banks materialises, it should further facilitate the procurement of foreign-currency funding needed to implement the investment initiative,” the Ministry of Finance said in a post on the X platform late on Sunday.
Reuters reported last week that JPMorgan and other U.S. banks are close to agreeing to provide financing under the investment framework, which Japan and the United States agreed as part of a deal to reduce U.S. tariffs on Japanese goods. The ministry did not identify the foreign lenders involved, but said the financing would be provided alongside loans from the state-backed Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC). Export credit agency NEXI could provide guarantees for loans extended by the banks, it added.
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July 29, 2026
Solar and wind energy are keeping Texans cool this summer: Dallas Morning News*
Even as the relentless sun parches plants and turns sidewalks into griddles, solar power has been helping Texans stay cool this summer. Data from ERCOT, the independent agency that manages the electrical grid for most of Texas, show just how critical solar and wind have become for coping with high demand. On Sunday and Monday around noon, for example, more than half of the electricity flowing across the grid came from solar and wind. Natural gas supplied less than one-third. Solar energy is likely to provide more electricity to Texans this year than coal, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Political leaders in Austin should celebrate this accomplishment. That diversity of energy sources improves overall grid resilience and reliability and allows power production to keep pace with population and industrial growth. Republican lawmakers ought to embrace and encourage renewables as part of the state’s overall energy success story. They didn’t do that in last year’s regular legislative session. One state senator introduced a bill that would have added layers of permits and environmental regulations to the siting of solar and wind farms. The proposed regulations were more burdensome than those the state applies to oil and gas production. Another bill would have required half of all new electricity flowing through the grid to come from “dispatchable” sources, such as coal or natural gas plants or batteries, which can be turned on or off as demand requires. Neither bill became law.
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Utility Dive – July 27, 2026
Utility profits in the crosshairs amid affordability concerns
Last month, protesters angry over high electricity costs disrupted a Las Vegas conference of executives for the nation’s biggest investor-owned utilities — a vivid example of growing public outrage that has forced the industry to again defend their legally guaranteed profit margins.
As affordability concerns increase political pressure, several states have taken steps to lower utilities’ return on equity, either through regulatory or legislative action. Consumer advocates say these measures are long overdue, while utilities say suppressing their ROE could impact their credit rating, which would carry over into higher customer costs.
Regulatory
Houston Chronicle – July 29, 2026
After decades of resistance, policymakers are trying to restart our nation’s nuclear sector and Texas has a chance to lead this atomic renaissance. Though our energy reputation is mostly derived from oil and gas, the Lone Star State has a lot to offer a growing nuclear sector, too. Nuclear reactors already provide about 9% of our annual electricity consumption and about one-sixth of our emissions-free power.Houston is even hosting the Texas Nuclear Energy Summit in September. At the federal level, the Trump administration issued an executive order in May 2025 to kick-start an innovative pilot program for advanced nuclear reactor designs. That program aimed to demonstrate criticality — a technical milestone for nuclear fission — by July 4, 2026. Ten companies were selected to participate. Three of them — Aalo Atomics, Last Energy, and Natura Resources — are based in Texas or pursuing major projects here. Only four companies met the deadline, and Aalo achieved success on America’s 250th anniversary.
The federal enthusiasm for nuclear power has a Lone Star companion. With support from Gov. Greg Abbott, the state Legislature created Texas Advanced Nuclear Development Fund[11] and seeded it with $350 million to improve nuclear supply chains in the state. It was only 15 years ago when plans to add two reactors at the South Texas Project were canceled as falling natural gas prices made nuclear untenable. Now Texas views nuclear as a critical part of our energy mix. Even when the nuclear startups are based elsewhere, they still look to Texas for their first demonstration projects. Maryland-based X-Energy announced a collaboration with Dow Chemical for a Gulf Coast facility and Blue Energy, a Maryland company that uses shipbuilding techniques to accelerate nuclear power plant construction, announced a facility in Texas with the power sector stalwart GE Vernova and data center developer Crusoe. They know that Texas is the best place to execute energy projects at speed and scale.