I held a press conference at the Texas Capitol yesterday afternoon urging Governor Abbott to move to correct the pricing error at the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) during the winter storm that resulted in at least a $4.2 billion billing error that occurred after power had been restored to the electric grid and prices should have been allowed to return to normal. I also asked him to launch an internal investigation at ERCOT. You can watch my press conference here.
In case you missed it – Last PUC Chair Resigns
Hours after this Texas Monthly story was released on Tuesday, PUC chairman Arthur D’Andrea resigned. D’Andrea had made it clear to me in last week’s Senate Jurisprudence Committee that he lacks both honesty and competence in overseeing our electrical grid. I had called for his resignation along with the previous chair of the PUC. Currently all PUC commissioners have resigned. I also asked for the resignation of the President and CEO of ERCOT. He has been fired.
Please continue to keep our state and our nation in your prayers. Pray for the families who have lost loved ones to coronavirus and for our heroic health care workers. And, as always, keep our brave law enforcement officers in your prayers. May God bless you and your family, and may He continue to bless the greatest state of all—Texas.
Sincerely,
Dan Patrick
Lieutenant Governor of Texas