The lights…and thankfully the A-C…stayed on in Texas last week. But as the state baked in triple digit temps, the electric grid operator pleaded with Texans on multiple days to hike up the thermostat and conserve power as much as possible, because the state was uncomfortably close to not having enough electricity to meet demand. And it could happen again in the week ahead, with forecasts showing another string of sweltering days. But going into the summer, Governor Abbott touted the strength of the Texas electric grid…and he has said that state leaders did everything that needed to be done to fix the problems that led to deadly, widespread outages in February 2021 when the state didn’t have enough power to go around. Beto O’ Rourke, the governor’s Democratic opponent in this year’s election has made the fragile electricity situation in Texas a key pillar of his campaign, promising to fix it if he is elected in November. This week he joins the Jasons to discuss that. Also on this episode: Ed Hirs, the Energy Fellow at the University of Houston. Professor Hirs says there are no quick, easy, or cheap fixes for the situation Texas is in. Without big changes, he predicts many more problems ahead. He adds that this status quo is enriching some energy companies and is jacking up the retail electric rates we all pay.

Guests: 

Professor Ed Hirs, University of Houston Energy Fellow 

Beto O’ Rourke, Texas Democratic Gubernatorial candidate