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Claire Hao

@clairehao.bsky.social

1.9K followers 490 following 130 posts

Reporting on energy & TX power grid @houstonchronicle.com • ✉️: [email protected] or clairehao.14 on Signal • RT ≠ endorsement

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Claire Hao @clairehao.bsky.social · Mar 7

Confused or frustrated by the Texas power grid? Help us report on it.

This survey is open for anyone to 1) ask questions about the state's grid, 2) share experiences about electricity bills & power outages, and 3) send story ideas & tips 👀 www.houstonchronicle.com/projects/202...

Confused by the Texas power grid? Help us report on it.

Frustrated by the Texas power grid? Ask us your questions.

www.houstonchronicle.com

Claire Hao @clairehao.bsky.social · 6d

Remember when some Texas lawmakers suggested CenterPoint shouldn't be allowed to charge Houston residents for its Hurricane Beryl costs last summer?

Here's my pitch for local journalism: We follow up. www.houstonchronicle.com/business/ene...

CenterPoint will soon charge nearly $1.2B for Hurricane Beryl and other storms

State regulators gave CenterPoint Energy permission to charge Houston-area customers almost $1.2 billion for last year’s Hurricane Beryl and other storms.

www.houstonchronicle.com

Reposted by Claire Hao

Alan Fossler @alanfossler.bsky.social · 28d

Entergy wants to build a power line across Lake Livingston. Will it risk Houston’s drinking water? via @clairehao.bsky.social
www.houstonchronicle.com/business/ene...

Entergy’s plan to build a power line across Lake Livingston faces pushback

Entergy Texas has proposed building a new transmission line across Lake Livingston. Some residents are worried about water quality impacts.

www.houstonchronicle.com

Reposted by Claire Hao

Alan Fossler @alanfossler.bsky.social · Sep 6

$2.4B Entergy proposal for new power plants could increase energy bills in Houston suburbs, via @clairehao.bsky.social www.houstonchronicle.com/business/ene...

How much your energy bill could increase if Entergy's power plants get approved

Entergy Texas, the electric utility for Houston’s fastest-growing suburbs, says new power supply is urgently needed to keep up with the region’s expansion.

www.houstonchronicle.com

Claire Hao @clairehao.bsky.social · Aug 25

If you or others are struggling to pay your power bill, we've updated our paywall-free story with available resources.

Keep in mind, also, that providers can't disconnect your power during extreme weather or if you've gotten a medical exemption: www.houstonchronicle.com/business/ene...

Struggling to pay for electricity? Here's a list of places that can help

Both government and nonprofit organizations offer financial assistance for people struggling to afford their electricity bills.

www.houstonchronicle.com

Claire Hao @clairehao.bsky.social · Aug 25

Why is there such a sharp spike in Houston-area residents seeking help paying their utility bills?

Electricity costs, like other living costs, have risen. Families are feeling the strain, and nonprofits say they are overwhelmed with asks for aid.

Claire Hao @clairehao.bsky.social · Aug 25

Earlier this month, the Houston-area application portal for utility bill assistance crashed — because a record 100k people tried to apply for just 5,000 slots set aside for August & September.

For context, in the entirety of 2024, 44k people applied: www.houstonchronicle.com/business/ene...

Why aid for energy bills is falling short in Houston’s hottest months

Demand for utility bill assistance is only growing as rising energy costs strain families’ wallets across the Houston region, nonprofits and advocates say.

www.houstonchronicle.com

Reposted by Claire Hao

Alan Fossler @alanfossler.bsky.social · Aug 5

Are those Houston yard signs offering free generators too good to be true? Here’s what @clairehao.bsky.social found. www.houstonchronicle.com/business/ene...

Are those Houston yard signs offering free generators a scam? What we found.

The messages on yard signs around Houston promoting free back-up generators through a government-funded program might sound too good to be true.

www.houstonchronicle.com

Reposted by Claire Hao

Alan Fossler @alanfossler.bsky.social · Aug 1

Houston-area cities fight CenterPoint’s proposed $1.3B rate hike for Hurricane Beryl, other storms, via @clairehao.bsky.social www.houstonchronicle.com/business/ene...

Houston-area cities fight CenterPoint’s $1.3B rate hike for Beryl, other storms

CenterPoint Energy wants to charge customers $1.3 billion for Hurricane Beryl and other storms. Houston-area cities say that’s too much.

www.houstonchronicle.com

Reposted by Claire Hao

Alan Fossler @alanfossler.bsky.social · Jul 19

Response to deadly Texas floods was 'a masterclass in how not to communicate,' experts say, via @clairehao.bsky.social and @rebekahfward.bsky.social

www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

Texas flood response sparks outrage: 'A masterclass in how not to communicate'

Professional crisis communicators watched the news conferences with dismay. Deflecting blame is not helpful if politicians want to build trust with the public, they say.

www.houstonchronicle.com

Claire Hao @clairehao.bsky.social · Jul 19

Houston solar powerhouse Sunnova Energy had a quick rise — and a dramatic fall.

What happened, and what does Sunnova's bankruptcy filing mean for the U.S. residential solar industry's future? I tackled those questions here: www.houstonchronicle.com/business/ene...

The dramatic rise and fall of Houston solar powerhouse Sunnova Energy

Houston-based rooftop solar company Sunnova Energy filed for bankruptcy in June. It offers stark lessons for the future of the U.S. residential solar industry.

www.houstonchronicle.com

Claire Hao @clairehao.bsky.social · Jul 14

Less clean energy — perhaps much less — will be built in Texas as a result of the “One Big Beautiful Bill” signed into law by President Donald Trump on the Fourth of July.

That could raise energy costs for everyday residents: www.houstonchronicle.com/business/ene...

Texans could see rising energy costs as Trump's new law slows clean energy

Less solar and wind power will be built in Texas as a result of the “One Big Beautiful Bill” signed into law by President Donald Trump on the Fourth of July.

www.houstonchronicle.com

Claire Hao @clairehao.bsky.social · Jul 8

Elderly advocates say the status quo is inadequate in protecting Texas' seniors. And yet...

“We're in the same place as we were this time last year,” the deputy state long-term care ombudsman said.

More below on Harris County's mandate, now likely defunct: hcfmo.net/Divisions/Prev

Claire Hao @clairehao.bsky.social · Jul 8

After Hurricane Beryl, Houston-area Democrats redoubled their fight to require generators or other types of backup power at senior homes.

A year later, none of their bills passed. The only new law cancels out Harris County's own backup power mandate: www.houstonchronicle.com/business/ene...

Efforts to protect Houston seniors with backup power fail in Texas Legislature

A year after Hurricane Beryl, none of the many bills filed by Houston-area lawmakers to require backup power at senior homes passed.

www.houstonchronicle.com

Claire Hao @clairehao.bsky.social · Jul 1

Low- to moderate-income residents in the Houston area struggle to pay their energy bills more than residents in other parts of Texas, a statewide nonprofit found in its new report.

Meanwhile, the government's safety net to help such residents is fraying: www.houstonchronicle.com/business/ene...

Many Texans cut back on ‘basic needs’ to pay electricity bills, study finds

Nearly 80% of low- to moderate-income Houston-area residents said they cut back on “basic household needs” to afford electricity.

www.houstonchronicle.com

Reposted by Claire Hao

neenareports.bsky.social @neenareports.bsky.social · Jun 26

NEW: We asked TX leaders if they're REALLY sure CenterPoint is giving back $100s of millions consumers spent on unused generators -- since documents indicate otherwise.
They pointed us to a spreadsheet that is VERY scant on detail. w/
@clairehao.bsky.social
www.houstonchronicle.com/news/investi...

Texas leaders vowed to make CenterPoint pay after Beryl's blackouts. Did they?

Vows of a $480M refund for CenterPoint customers have yet to be fulfilled a year after Hurricane Beryl left nearly a million Texans without power for four days.

www.houstonchronicle.com

Claire Hao @clairehao.bsky.social · Jun 26

We have a shorter, more digestible "five takeaways" version too.

Our reporting looked at two vows: 1) to refund Houstonians $480M for CenterPoint's unused generators, and 2) to change utility incentives, so they don't just make more money by spending big: www.houstonchronicle.com/news/investi...

5 things to know about Texas leaders’ broken Hurricane Beryl promises

Texas leaders didn't fulfill vows to ensure CenterPoint refunds Houstonians for unused generators and to reform how utilities make money, the Chronicle found.

www.houstonchronicle.com

Claire Hao @clairehao.bsky.social · Jun 26

There was a lot of anger at CenterPoint after Hurricane Beryl last year — and a lot of talk from Texas politicians about reform.

Nearly a year later, did leaders keep those big promises? Mostly no.

W/ @neenareports.bsky.social, who I learn so much from: www.houstonchronicle.com/news/investi...

Texas leaders vowed to make CenterPoint pay after Beryl's blackouts. Did they?

Vows of a $480M refund for CenterPoint customers have yet to be fulfilled a year after Hurricane Beryl left nearly a million Texans without power for four days.

www.houstonchronicle.com

Reposted by Claire Hao

Alan Fossler @alanfossler.bsky.social · Jun 12

Interactive map: How AI is fueling a surge of gas power-plant proposals in the Houston area, via @rebekahfward.bsky.social and @clairehao.bsky.social

www.houstonchronicle.com/projects/202...

Why Houston could see a surge of new gas-fired power plants

A new report from the Environmental Integrity Project tracks 130 proposals for gas-fired power plants in Texas.

www.houstonchronicle.com

Claire Hao @clairehao.bsky.social · Jun 10

Renewable energy & battery project cancellations in April and May spiked to levels unseen since 2021's COVID-19 woes, per a recent analysis of ERCOT data.

Tariffs and the uncertain fate of the tax credits are to blame: “It’s like a canary in a coal mine.” www.houstonchronicle.com/business/ene...

Renewable energy project cancellations spike in Texas: 'A canary in a coal mine'

Renewable energy and battery storage companies are canceling their Texas projects at rates unseen since 2021, according to an analysis of ERCOT data.

www.houstonchronicle.com

Claire Hao @clairehao.bsky.social · Jun 9

Texas is betting big on nuclear: Lawmakers have approved a new $350M taxpayer-backed fund to give companies grants to develop new projects.

The amount did drop significantly after months of debate. Gov. Abbott said he looks forward to signing the bill: www.houstonchronicle.com/business/ene...

Can $350M in taxpayer funds make Texas the next nuclear energy powerhouse?

Texas sets aside $350M to lure advanced nuclear companies, fueling debate over risks, rewards, and the state’s energy ambitions.

www.houstonchronicle.com

Claire Hao @clairehao.bsky.social · Jun 9

Houston's Sunnova Energy has filed for bankruptcy, according to court & regulatory filings.

The news comes days after Sunnova told federal regulators it had laid off 55% of its workforce: www.houstonchronicle.com/business/ene...

Houston solar company Sunnova Energy files for bankruptcy after mass layoffs

Sunnova Energy, the struggling Houston-based residential solar company, has filed for bankruptcy, according to court and regulatory filings.

www.houstonchronicle.com

Claire Hao @clairehao.bsky.social · Jun 6

So, the jokes about announcing bad news yesterday, when everyone's attention was elsewhere? Houston's Sunnova Energy seems to have actually done that.

The solar company has laid off 700+ employees, or 55% of its workforce, per a Thursday SEC filing: www.houstonchronicle.com/business/ene...

Houston solar company Sunnova Energy lays off 700+ employees

Sunnova Energy has laid off 718 employees, or approximately 55% of its workforce, in a desperate bid to slash costs as one of its subsidiaries files for bankruptcy.

www.houstonchronicle.com

Claire Hao @clairehao.bsky.social · Jun 6

Is CenterPoint ready for hurricane season? CEO Jason Wells touted a list of "unprecedented" prep to the Chronicle's ed board yesterday.

City & community leaders say CenterPoint's responsiveness has improved since Beryl. Still, they want more transparency. www.houstonchronicle.com/business/ene...

Is CenterPoint ready for hurricane season? CEO touts ‘unprecedented’ prep

CenterPoint executives say they have made key changes since Hurricane Beryl, so its Houston-area power grid is ready for hurricane season this year.

www.houstonchronicle.com

Reposted by Claire Hao

Doug Lewin @douglewin.bsky.social · Jun 4

I was joined by the @houstonchronicle.com's @clairehao.bsky.social to unpack the major energy issues in the 89th Legislature, including the anti-energy development bills that didn't make, the nuclear and large load bills that did, and much more. #txlege #txenergy
www.douglewin.com/p/its-easier...

"It's Easier to Build Here," Texas Energy After the 89th Legislature with Claire Hao

Houston Chronicle energy reporter Claire Hao covered the legislative session in depth; she joined me to discuss what passed, what didn't, and what it means for the future of the Texas grid

www.douglewin.com

Claire Hao @clairehao.bsky.social · Jun 3

It’s official: Texas bills targeting solar and wind power are dead.

Here's a recap of the arguments that worked, as the renewable energy industry tries the same appeals to lobby against Trump's "big, beautiful bill." www.houstonchronicle.com/business/ene...

Renewable energy survived Texas attacks. Its future now depends on Trump.

Texas bills targeting solar and wind power are dead, so the state’s flourishing renewable energy industry remains alive and well — for now.

www.houstonchronicle.com