A group of electric cooperatives that were confronted with a rate increase from Oklahoma filed a lawsuit. They challenged whether or not Central and Southwest was truly an integrated company. To integrate would mean to link up these different utilities even across state borders. Coleman: There was this informal agreement among utilities in Texas that they wouldn't put themselves under more federal oversight by crossing state lines.
Texas's energy grid is largely disconnected from the rest of the U.S. That led to disastrous consequences last year when the state's grid was overloaded during a winter storm. Back in the 1970s, one company attempted to change the system in a secret, middle-of-the-night operation.
Subscribe to Planet Money+ in
Apple Podcasts or at
plus.npr.org/planetmoneyLearn more about sponsor message choices:
podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy