Russell Gold

Anyone know why #MISO needed to order an emergency load shed yesterday? It cited unplanned generation and transmission outages, but ... what happened?

A $12 Billion Window Into AI’s Race for Power NRG Energy’s deal for gas-fired plants acknowledges the difficulty of building enough capacity to meet Big Tech’s demands.

Liam Denning (Bloomberg columnist) made a related point in a recent column. These deals are a tacit acknowledgement we're going to be short of electricity for growth. Time to start building new generation.

www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

Vistra spends $1.9 billion to buy gas plants.

NRG spends $12 billion to buy gas plants.

Constellation spends $16.4 billion to buy gas plants.

That’s ~$30 billion and not a single new gas plant built.

Folks, we’ve got to build new generation, not just change the names on the gate.

To be competitive in AI race, the political right will need to accept the need for solar+batteries, and the political left will need to accept the need for natgas peakers. So says

New politics needed for a new energy world.

State Experts Warned Against an Oil Field Waste Dump. Texas Regulators Approved it Anyway. Examiners repeatedly noted the significant risk of water contamination at the East Texas site. But the Railroad Commission green-lit the facility.

Three times state officials decided an oilfield waste dump wasn't suitable for Joaquin, Texas. They process took five years and two weeks of hearings. Railroad Commissioners approved it anyway--after three minutes of discussion.

www.texasmonthly.com/news-politic...

The time has come for a new adventure. For the past 32 years, I have been… | Russell Gold The time has come for a new adventure. For the past 32 years, I have been a journalist. Not an editor. Not a bureau chief. A journalist. Working the phones. Wrangling data. Asking questions. Putting ...

Some personal news... www.linkedin.com/posts/russel...

The race is on, and the U.S. is falling behind.

An El Paso mass shooter killed their loved ones. They hugged him The judge wept and others in the courtroom sobbed as a woman who lost her brother in the 2019 El Paso Walmart mass shooting hugged the gunman after her emotional impact statement.

He killed their loved one. During their victim impact statements, they asked to hug him.

elpasomatters.org/2025/04/22/v...

Dammit, gotta watch Andor now

"Let's try do to no harm." That's what ERCOT CEO Pablo Vegas told the Legislature two years ago about a bill similar to one that could get a vote in committee tomorrow. He said the retroactive requirements would undermine ERCOT's ability to have "the energy that we need." 1/

Not one, but two Subarus outside my local central Austin gun shop.

Is the left arming itself? Is there a shift in political consumerism?

Fifteen years ago today. A tragedy of oil and engineering hubris.

Fascinating & highlights an issue ERCOT flagged at mtg this month. Sudden large load drops becoming a growing grid issue.

I'm beginning to think you have too much time on your hands, but I'm here for it.

* old oil well, not oil oil well

Stunning photo of sinkhole near McCamey, with oil oil well in the middle. Yeah, that's oil in pit. Check out people on left for scale.

This might make the coasts uncomfortable, but Texas has been leading the way on certain issues (housing, energy) for years, and the rest of the country is just figuring this out.

(from @conordougherty.bsky.social 's latest in the NYT magazine)

I tweeted too soon. Story of my life. Keep an eye on this space. Of course, fewer rigs drilling for O&G means more to drill for geothermal, no?

Rural Texans speaking up for a diverse, reliable energy grid — one that includes solar + batteries + gas + nukes + wind...

There was some blood on the floor, no doubt.

So far, rig count hasn't budget, per Enverus. A lot can change in a week, but so far rigs are still turning to the right.

Mubadala Energy Enters Major U.S. Upstream Gas and LNG Operation with Kimmeridge /PRNewswire/ -- Mubadala Energy, the Abu Dhabi headquartered international energy company, has today signed an agreement with Kimmeridge, the energy-focused...

Why should Texas use more renewables on its electricity grid? It frees up natural gas for export, part 65.

Abu Dhabi energy giant buys 24% stake in Eagle Ford upstream & Calcasieu pass LNG export play.

www.prnewswire.com/news-release...

Axios Generate - 📃 Republicans float climate tariffs with a carbon removal twist

This could get interesting. Worth watching: 📃 Republicans float climate tariffs with a carbon removal twist www.axios.com/newsletters/... #axiosgenerate

Who is Stewards of Texas, the group pushing anti-renewable energy bill SB 819? A newly-formed 501(c)4 nonprofit is behind efforts to pass a bill that would enact draconian siting requirements for new solar and wind generation, impose additional permit requirements for developers...

For the past couple years, rumors have swirled about the $$$ behind Texas' Draconian anti-renewable push. Now, some names are emerging and, of course, there's a #Landman connection.

energyandpolicy.org/who-is-stewa...

ERCOT is now keeping an eye on bitcoin miners suddenly tripping off... a rapid 330mw drop can cause voltage fluctuations. Not a crisis, but getting more common.

Thank you! What a great email to receive out of the blue!

Nailed it.

Why Nothing Works A provocative exploration about the architecture of power, the forces that stifle us from getting things done, and how we can restore confidence in democrati...

He has also written a fascinating new book: "Why Nothing Works: Who Killed Progress—And How to Bring It Back."

www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/marc-...

The Question Progressives Refuse to Answer As Democrats became the party of proceduralism, they sidestepped a crucial debate.

Say we need to build a new bridge or interstate transmission line or SMR nuke ... who should decide where it goes, and whose neighborhood gets disrupted? The President? The courts? Someone else?
Interesting new piece by Mark Dunkelman in the Atlantic.

www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...