KDH News: Oncor planning to move forward with transmission line project
Jan. 11 — Oncor, a Texas-based electric transmission and utility company is planning to request approval this spring from the Public Utility Commission of Texas for a transmission line project. If approved, the line would span more than 200 miles and would run through several communities in Bell County.
https://kdhnews.com/news/local/oncor-planning-to-move-forward-with-transmission-line-project/article_a0785efb-9107-4cd2-9fe4-899c3949d27d.html
Pulse 2.0: Spearmint Energy Lands Kyuden Equity Investment For Two 200 MWh ERCOT Battery Projects
Jan. 8 — Spearmint Energy closed an equity investment from Kyuden International Corporation to support Tierra Seca and Seven Flags, two 100 MW / 200 MWh battery energy storage systems (BESS) located in Del Rio and Laredo, Texas. The two projects add a combined 400 MWh of storage capacity to ERCOT, the Texas power grid.
https://pulse2.com/spearmint-energy-lands-kyuden-equity-investment-for-two-200-mwh-ercot-battery-projects/
PV Magazine: Texas developer secures 10 GWh+ of BESS capacity to supply data centers
Jan. 8 — Greenflash said its newly secured more than 10 GWh of battery energy storage system (BESS) capacity will be added to the over 1 GWh of battery storage already ready for near-term deployment, as well as an additional 2 GWh scheduled for delivery in March 2026.
https://www.ess-news.com/2026/01/08/texas-developer-secures-10-gwh-of-bess-capacity-to-supply-data-centers/
ENR Texas & Southwest: Energy Vault Expands Its Footprint in the Texas Market
Jan. 8 —Energy Vault Holdings Inc. has begun construction on the SOSA Energy Center, a 150‑MW/300‑MWh battery energy storage project in Madison County, Texas. The project advances the developer’s owned‑asset strategy and marks the fourth facility to move into construction under its Asset Vault platform, said the company.
https://www.enr.com/articles/62307-energy-vault-expands-its-footprint-in-the-texas-market
Street Insider: Vistra acquires Cogentrix natural gas assets for $4 billion
Jan. 5 — Vistra Corp. (NYSE: VST) announced it has executed definitive agreements to acquire Cogentrix Energy for approximately $4.0 billion. The acquisition includes 10 natural gas generation facilities totaling approximately 5,500 megawatts of capacity across PJM, ISO New England, and ERCOT markets.
https://www.streetinsider.com/Corporate+News/Vistra+acquires+Cogentrix+natural+gas+assets+for+%244+billion/25805076.html
Utility Dive: 4 of 5 offshore wind farms challenge Trump administration stop work order
Jan. 5 — The December stop work order is estimated to be costing the projects anywhere from $1 million to $5 million per day.
https://www.utilitydive.com/news/orsted-equinor-offshore-wind-projects-stop-order-trump-burgum/808728/y
Utility Dive: (Opinion) Rooftop solar is booming, but not in the communities that need it most
Jan. 5 — Solar adoption in the U.S. has become the fastest-growing source of power in the country. In 2024, 84% of all new electricity generation capacity added to the grid came from solar and storage, with the number of solar installations surpassing five million.
https://www.utilitydive.com/news/rooftop-solar-is-booming-but-not-in-the-communities-that-need-it-most/805488/
Crossroads Today: Major transmission upgrade coming to Wharton County area
Jan. 7 — Since 2018, significant renewable energy generation (solar, storage, wind) has developed near the 345 kV transmission lines in Fort Bend and Wharton Counties along the Hillje to W.A. Parish corridor.
https://www.crossroadstoday.com/news/local-news/major-transmission-upgrade-coming-to-wharton-county-area/article_2d9499d2-8245-46fe-a707-7eb6bc2094ac.html
PV Magazine: ERCOT outperformed on interconnection in 2024 likely due to “connect and manage”
Jan. 7 — More than 25 GW of large-scale generating projects seeking an interconnection agreement in the ERCOT grid region reached that stage in 2024. Berkeley Lab said ERCOT’s “connect and manage” approach “is likely one reason” for the grid operator’s success.
www.pv-magazine-usa.com/2026/01/07/ercot-outperformed-on-interconnection-in-2024-likely-due-to-connect-and-manage/
Dallas Initiatives: Irving-Based Vistra To Acquire Natural Gas Powerhouse Cogentrix Energy in $4B Deal
Jan. 6 — The acquisition includes three combined cycle gas turbine facilities and two combustion turbine facilities located across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland; four combined cycle gas turbine facilities in New England, and one ERCOT cogeneration facility in Texas.
www.dallasinnovates.com/irving-based-vistra-to-acquire-natural-gas-powerhouse-cogentrix-energy-in-4b-deal/
Fort Worth Star-Telegram: Abandoned Fort Worth power plant up for consideration as endangered landmark
Jan. 6 —The city of Fort Worth’s Development Services department is seeking to designate the abandoned Fort Worth Power and Light Company Plant/TXU plant on North Main Street as a highly significant endangered landmark after the property was recently listed for sale.
https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/fort-worth/article314218040.html#storylink=cpy
Utility Dive: ERCOT’s large load queue jumped almost 300% last year
Jan. 6 — The surge has “outgrown the process that was established for reviewing these large loads,” an Electric Reliability Council of Texas official said.
https://www.utilitydive.com/news/ercots-large-load-queue-jumped-almost-300-last-year-official/808820/
PV Magazine: Energy Vault begins construction on 150 MW storage project in Texas
Jan. 6 — Energy Vault Holdings has started construction on the SOSA Energy Center, a 150 MW / 300 MWh battery energy storage system located in Madison County, Texas. The project is situated within the ERCOT North market and is expected to reach commercial operation by the second quarter of 2027.
www.pv-magazine-usa.com/2026/01/06/energy-vault-begins-construction-on-150-mw-storage-project-in-texas/
Construct Connect News:
Jan. 5 — At the present time, there are 375 data centers already operating in Austin, Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio, with another 70 currently under construction, according to research and advisory firm Baxtel.
https://news.constructconnect.com/renewable-energy-is-key-to-powering-texas-data-centers
TELECOM NEWS
Telecoms: FCC approves 7,500 new Starlink satellites
Jan. 12 — The Federal Communications Commission has given SpaceX the go-ahead to launch an additional 7,500 Starlink satellites, a move that will boost its service offering both inside and outside the US.
https://www.telecoms.com/satellite/fcc-approves-7-500-new-starlink-satellites
Business Insider Africa: Starlink blocked from South Africa, Musk says it’s because he is not black
Jan. 11 — Elon Musk said South Africa’s telecommunications ownership rules are preventing his satellite internet company, Starlink, from launching in the country, renewing debate over how Africa’s most industrialized economy balances transformation policy with foreign investment.
https://africa.businessinsider.com/local/lifestyle/starlink-blocked-from-south-africa-musk-says-its-because-he-is-not-black/tm86sv2
Benton Institute: Broadband Prices Increased in 2025
Jan. 11 — Broadband service offerings at the highest speeds are expensive, growing in prevalence, and driving up average broadband prices.
https://www.benton.org/headlines/broadband-prices-increased-2025
The Hill: Supreme Court will review FCC’s fines against AT&T, Verizon
Jan. 9 — The Supreme Court agreed Friday to decide whether the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) authority to issue massive fines violated AT&T’s and Verizon’s constitutional right to a jury trial.
https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/5682306-supreme-court-fcc-fines-att-verizon/
Light Reading: Cities, counties reject industry claims on broadband permitting
Jan. 7 — As industry groups made their wish lists for wireline permitting reform known to the FCC, organizations representing local governments filed comments opposing their requests and challenging the FCC’s authority to grant them.
https://www.lightreading.com/broadband/cities-counties-reject-industry-claims-on-broadband-permitting
Broadband Communities: What were fiber’s 2025 gains? Will we see 2026 acceleration?
Jan. 5 — In 2025, the fiber industry set another record for growth, hitting 11.8 million homes passed according to the latest FBA research conducted by RVA Market Research & Consulting. Total broadband passings have reached nearly 100 million homes in the United States when you include homes with more than one passing. Taking out the multiple-passings, there are 84.6 million unique addresses that have fiber.
https://bbcmag.com/what-were-fibers-2025-gains-will-we-see-2026-acceleration/
Broadband Communities: AT&T will move their headquarters out of Downtown Dallas
Jan. 6 — Dallas-based AT&T will be moving their headquarters to a new location in Plano. The news was revealed when a message to AT&T employees announced a new company headquarters will be under construction, at 5400 Legacy Drive.
www.bbcmag.com/att-will-move-their-headquarters-out-of-downtown-dallas/