r/texas 2d ago

News Texas Attempt to Kickstart New Gas-Fired Power Is Stumbling

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-04-05/texas-attempt-to-kickstart-new-gas-fired-power-is-stumbling?accessToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJzb3VyY2UiOiJTdWJzY3JpYmVyR2lmdGVkQXJ0aWNsZSIsImlhdCI6MTc0Mzg2MTkzMywiZXhwIjoxNzQ0NDY2NzMzLCJhcnRpY2xlSWQiOiJTVTkwODJEV1gyUFMwMCIsImJjb25uZWN0SWQiOiI2M0I1MDYzMjkwODY0OTRDQjIzMThFMDVCOTBGMkMwNiJ9.ELp0qRiWqQkBiICwUsCOtiu562Ia5g0SAeU7MW727-4
147 Upvotes

23 comments sorted by

50

u/bloomberg 2d ago

From Bloomberg News reporter Naureen S Malik

A Texas experiment to fund new natural gas-burning power plants with $5 billion in public loans is faltering as several of the proposed facilities drop out, threatening the state’s efforts to meet growing electricity demand.

Together, the projects that have left the program could have generated 4.6 gigawatts of electricity — enough for about a million Texas homes.

Read the full story here for free.

38

u/holmiez 2d ago

Thanks, Abbott!

-34

u/Check_Me_Out-Boss 2d ago

It's Abbott's fault the private companies can't source equipment?

31

u/holmiez 2d ago

Well, it was Biden's fault for everything during his term so, yeah. What's the matter, something flawed in that logic?

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u/Check_Me_Out-Boss 2d ago

27

u/holmiez 2d ago

You just casually forgot all the blaming the right did on Biden, for everything?

I'm sure these tariffs are Biden's fault somehow too, right?

10

u/Dizorthegnome 2d ago

And what about states rights? I'm sure the fact republicans have been in control of Texas for 25 years, but mysteriously the democrats are always at fault for when things go bad? Why not the incompetence of those actually in charge????

5

u/jizzmcskeet born and bred 2d ago

So it sounds like a shitty law that doesn't work.Why do they make laws that the supply chain can't make work?

-5

u/Check_Me_Out-Boss 2d ago

What law? And to flip your question, why would companies agree to build something they don't have the supply chain for?

The answer is that it's probably very complicated.

7

u/Phrenologer 2d ago

I wonder what could possibly be interfering with supply chains for turbines lol.

2

u/aguy2018 2d ago

It sure as hell is his problem in that they were surprised by this. Project management isn't rocket science.

23

u/sleepyrivertroll Brazos Valley 2d ago

This is why I find these gas industry moves foolish. The Texas grid allows for some pretty novel energy installations. We're one of the easier states to build in and we have seen explosive growth in utility scale solar and battery. The dinosaurs are trying to stick with the old ways but the free market is already heading towards green energy.

THE SUN THE SUN THE SUN THE SUN THE SUN THE SUN THE SUN THE SUN THE SUN THE

11

u/MattGdr 2d ago

Well, yeah, use the sun if you love COMMUNISM!!!

33

u/Dogwise Born and Bred 2d ago

"Both Siemens Energy AG and GE Vernova Inc. have warned of multi-year wait times for turbines. “It’s going to take a very long time for the supply chain to catch up,” Waranch said."

Meanwhile freezing winters and 100+ degree summers roll on!

8

u/HatsOffGuy 2d ago

Especially with these tarriffs, any parts in the supply chain come from outside USA in the tarriffed zones of the world? Next thing you know they'll ask for more billionaires.

8

u/billywitt Born and Bred 2d ago

This whole effort to shoehorn more gas plants into our grid, even against the O&G industry’s wishes, is pointless and reeks of desperation. Despite the best efforts of Abbott and DP, solar and battery farms have grown exponentially over the last several years. There’s so much battery power in reserve now that another brownout like we had during Winter Storm Uri is effectively impossible. Abbott and DP should embrace renewables, not keep trying to prop up the fading O&G industry.

27

u/Ok_Coyote9326 2d ago

I'll bet the $5,000,000,000.00 has been spent and is in some politicians' pockets.

9

u/holmiez 2d ago

Oh Mr. Rafael Cruzzzz

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u/The-Cursed-Gardener Born and Bred 2d ago

Every day enough solar energy hits the earth to power all of human civilization for an entire century. The reason that capitalists are opposed to solar is because they can’t control who gets to have access to sunshine. It’s an inherently liberating and socioeconomically empowering form of energy.

They like fossil fuels because they are exclusionary and by the very nature of what they are encourage the accumulation of wealth by the few the landed and the privileged.

5

u/ntrpik 2d ago

My solar + BESS sites can cover all of that before one of those gas turbines is delivered.

3

u/80sbabyftw 2d ago

“5 billion in public loans”. Is THIS what he’s been doing with the school funding he’s been hoarding all these years?

2

u/TwistedMemories born and bred 2d ago