TELECOM AND BROADBAND NEWS
Houston Public Media: Texas governor’s office asked for broadband rules that help Elon Musk’s Starlink
July 2 — The state office that distributes billions to expand Texas rural broadband is facing allegations of “favoritism” and offering “sweetheart” deals to companies that provide low earth orbit satellite broadband.
https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/infrastructure/2026/07/02/556078/texas-tx-broadband-development-musk-starlink-rural-internet-governor-abbott/
Telecompetitor: Why Astound declined BEAD awards in Oregon and Texas: Interview
July 1 — Broadband providers taking part in the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program have increasingly found that a provisional award does not guarantee a signed contract. Among the companies that recently turned down BEAD funding, Astound is walking away from grants in both Texas and Oregon after determining that the projects no longer made financial sense.
https://www.telecompetitor.com/why-astound-declined-bead-awards-in-oregon-and-texas-interview/
Benton Institute: Starlink Dominates Internet From Space. Can It Disrupt AT&T and Verizon on the Ground?
July 2 — SpaceX has disrupted the satellite industry. Now, its Starlink unit aims to do the same with America’s telecommunications giants.
https://www.benton.org/headlines/starlink-dominates-internet-space-can-it-disrupt-att-and-verizon-ground
Broadband Communities: Rural Texas library helps seniors cross the digital divide
June 30 — In Caldwell County, a rural area between Austin and San Antonio, about 10% of residents lack broadband access, leaving many older citizens struggling to keep pace with an increasingly online world.
https://bbcmag.com/rural-texas-library-helps-seniors-cross-the-digital-divide/
Public CEO New FCC proposal would undermine local government property rights and limit authority over public rights-of-way
June 30 — The NPRM proposes to unconstitutionally deprive local governments’ property rights by capping rental fees for a telecommunications providers’ occupation of the public right-of-way to “a reasonable approximation of the government’s actual, direct costs of managing the rights-of-way,” not market value or just compensation as is the current standard in most communities. Limiting rent to below market rates could prove to be a significant blow to many local government budgets.
https://www.publicceo.com/2026/06/new-fcc-proposal-would-undermine-local-government-property-rights-and-limit-authority-over-public-rights-of-way/
Broadband Communities: CC is urged to prepare for AI’s future infrastructure demands
June 30 — To support the FCC’s Nineteenth Section 706 Report inquiry, the FBA provided updated metrics showing that fiber networks passed approximately 84.6 million U.S. homes (60% of the total market) by year-end 2025, with 39.3 million homes connected.
https://bbcmag.com/fcc-is-urged-to-prepare-for-ais-future-infrastructure-demands/
Roll Call: Billions in rural broadband funds still on hold
June 30 — National Telecommunications and Information Administration leader Arielle Roth gave lawmakers that timeline at a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee hearing, where she was pressed about the agency’s commitment to make the funds available to states.
https://rollcall.com/2026/06/30/billions-in-rural-broadband-funds-still-on-hold/
Fierce Network: NTIA chief says 2 states have deployed BEAD dollars – but not for fiber
June 30 —Five years after the passage of the $42.5 billion BEAD program, the country has precious little to show for it. During a Congressional hearing, NTIA chief Arielle Roth said just two states thus far have connected citizens using BEAD money – and a number of other states, including California, are still awaiting for final approval of their program proposals.
https://www.fierce-network.com/broadband/ntia-chief-says-2-states-have-deployed-bead-dollars-not-fiber
San Antonio Express-News: No internet service? S.A. Public Library lending Wi-fi hot spots
June 29 — Using a $200,000 Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas grant, the city library system developed the hot spot lending program “to increase digital equity and provide better access to education, workforce development and healthcare services online,” city officials announced in a release Tuesday.
https://www.pressreader.com/usa/san-antonio-express-news/20260629/281543707651505
Radio Link: SCOTUS: President Can Fire FCC Commissioners Without Cause
June 29 — The Supreme Court of the United States overruled 90 years of precedent in a 6-3 ruling today that transforms the constitutional footing of every independent regulatory agency, including the FCC, by handing the President authority to remove Commissioners without cause.
https://radioink.com/2026/06/29/scotus-president-can-fire-fcc-commissioners-without-cause/
Light Reading: FCC tees up broadband permit battle between ‘competing interests’
June 26 — The FCC will hold a rulemaking proceeding to seek input on if and how it can limit state and local fees and timelines for broadband permitting. ISP groups cheered the measure, though the FCC’s legal authority here is unclear.
https://www.lightreading.com/broadband/fcc-tees-up-broadband-permit-battle-between-competing-interests-
Fierce Network: SpaceX plans bigger Starlink mobile push in US: report
June 26 — SpaceX told investors that it plans to launch a new Starlink mobile service for U.S. mobile consumers that would put it in direct competition with AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon, according to a report by the Financial Times (FT) on Friday.
https://www.fierce-network.com/wireless/spacex-plans-bigger-starlink-mobile-push-us-report
Tech Radar: FCC considers axing $2 billion school and library internet connectivity scheme — Chairman blames tablets for moving kids away from “turning pages in books, penciling out answers to math problems”
June 26 — The FCC is considering ending the long-running E-Rate program in the US, which currently provides around $2 billion annually to help public facilities like schools and libraries pay for internet connections and networking infrastructure.
https://www.techradar.com/pro/fcc-considers-axing-usd2-billion-school-and-library-internet-connectivity-scheme-chairman-blames-tablets-for-moving-kids-away-from-turning-pages-in-books-penciling-out-answers-to-math-problems
News From The States: FCC adopts new rules as states transition to Next Generation 911
June 26 — The rules require companies that operate critical parts of Next Generation 911 systems, known as NG911, to adopt reliability and redundancy measures intended to reduce service disruptions. The commission also will require providers to report on their progress toward ensuring that the new systems can seamlessly transfer emergency calls and data between networks.
https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/fcc-adopts-new-rules-states-transition-next-generation-911
Texas Tribune: What Texas can learn from Japanese cities that give technology to its senior citizens
June 26 — As Texas focuses on digital literacy for its elder residents, some Japanese cities are gifting low-cost devices to its older population so family can better monitor them.
https://www.texastribune.org/2026/06/26/texas-japan-seniors-technology-monitoring-devices/
Broadband Communities: FCC moves to cut local red tape around broadband deployments
June 25 — With today’s 3-0 vote, the FCC kickstarts a formal rulemaking process to gather public comment on new federal limits against local delays and fees before locking final regulations into place.
https://bbcmag.com/fcc-moves-to-cut-local-red-tape-around-broadband-deployments/
Daily Yonder: A Central Texas Library Closing the Digital Divide
June 23 — On the edges of a booming metro area, the Martindale Community Library brings mobile hotspots, new technology, and digital skills to an older community.
https://dailyyonder.com/a-central-texas-library-closing-the-digital-divide/2026/06/23/
ELECTRIC UTILITY AND ERCOT NEWS
The Texan: Abbott Calls for End to Data Center Builds in Rural Neighborhoods
July 2 — Abbott began in his speech to the crowd, “Before I talk about property taxes, let me talk about something else that I’m fighting for that dovetails right into fighting for East Texas values, and that is pushing back against these AI data centers that are trying to build in our neighborhoods.”
https://thetexan.news/state/texas-state-news/abbott-calls-for-end-to-data-center-builds-in-rural-areas/article_53a6dc4a-b717-4715-bd1a-e467b3ec51c4.html
Community Impact: Texas is heating up. Here are the systems involved in keeping the lights on.
July 2 — Frequently compared to an air traffic controller, ERCOT is tasked with ensuring the grid remains reliable by monitoring grid activities, ensuring supply and demand are balanced, guiding the system through grid emergencies, and facilitating a competitive retail electric market.
https://communityimpact.com/central-austin/government/texas-is-heating-up-here-are-the-systems-involved-in-keeping-the-lights-on/
Newsroom: (Press Release): Southwestern Public Service Co. awarded $113 million grant to improve electric reliability, reduce costs for Texas customers
July 1 — The grant, administered by the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT), funds three projects designed to strengthen the electric grid, improve reliability and minimize costs for more than 167,000 customers across the region.
https://newsroom.xcelenergy.com/news/southwestern-public-service-co-awarded-113-million-grant-to-improve-electric-reliability-reduce-costs-for-texas-customers
Spectrum News: Gov. Greg Abbott calls for ban on data center development in rural Texas neighborhoods
July 1 — Abbott’s push for a prohibition in rural neighborhoods appears to go further than a sweeping regulatory framework he unveiled early last month, which called for data centers to add new power generation to the grid, pay for their own infrastructure costs, reuse their own water and implement measures such as setbacks, among other proposals aimed at limiting their impact on residential communities.
https://spectrumlocalnews.com/tx/austin/news/2026/07/01/gov–greg-abbott-calls-for-ban-on-data-center-development-in-rural-texas-neighborhoods
San Saba News: (Commentary) Friends of the San Saba Update on Senate 765kV July 29th Hearing
July 1 — The Texas Senate will hold a Hearing on July 29th about 765kV transmission lines. In addition, the Bell County East to Big Hill 765kV Transmission Line (Bell County East) Closing Briefs have been submitted to the State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH) Administrative Law Judges (ALJs).
https://www.sansabanews.com/news/friends-san-saba-foss-update-senate-765kv-july-29th-hearing
The Cool Down: Texas utilities push a summer challenge: Use less power than your neighbors, and get rewarded
July 1 — With air conditioners running harder in extreme heat, some companies are asking Texans to ease up during the hottest hours of the day and, in some cases, are comparing a household’s electricity use with that of its neighbors.
https://www.thecooldown.com/green-home/texas-utilities-power-conservation-offer/
The Texas Energy and Power Newsletter: What batch zero settles and what it leaves open
July 1, 2026 — Batch zero stops being theoretical on July 11. That is the day ERCOT’s rule for connecting large new customers takes effect.
https://www.texasenergyandpower.com/p/what-batch-zero-settles-and-what
ABC 7 News: Gov. Abbott announces $113 million grant to strengthen Xcel Energy grid in Texas Panhandle
June 30 — A key component of the project is a drone-based inspection program that will assess more than 273,000 utility poles throughout the SPS service territory to identify and address potential issues before they lead to outages.
https://abc7amarillo.com/news/local/gov-greg-abbott-announces-113-million-grant-to-strengthen-xcel-energy-grid-in-texas-panhandle-public-utility-commission-outside-ercot-grant-program-thomas-gleeson-brad-baldridge-south-plains
Texas Insider: Governor Abbott Announces $8.8 Million In Grants For Electric Reliability In The South Plains
June 30 — Governor Greg Abbott announced a package of four Texas Energy Fund (TxEF) grants totaling more than $8.8 million to strengthen electric reliability for Lamb County Electric Cooperative, Inc. members in the South Plains. The grants will support several reliability projects including transmission line replacement, increasing transformer capacity, and modernizing aging infrastructure.
https://texasinsider.org/articles/governor-abbott-announces-8-8-million-in-grants-for-electric-reliability-in-the-south-plains
Texas Scorecard: Over-reliance on Wind and Solar Drives Permian Basin Energy Issues
June 30 — In response to lawmakers’ request for a pause on extra-high-voltage transmission lines, transmission service providers admitted reliance on wind and solar power, along with government intervention, is driving Permian Basin energy issues. This aligns with a third-party report that the lines are primarily built to support wind and solar, while local reliable generation alternatives were never fully examined.
https://texasscorecard.com/state/overabundance-of-wind-and-solar-drive-permian-basin-energy-issues/
Texas Energy and Power Newsletter: Gov. Abbott calls for data centers to lower costs
June 30 — Gov. Greg Abbott directed Texas electricity regulatory leaders earlier this month to ensure data centers not only pay their fair share of transmission upgrades, but also reduce costs for residential ratepayers. This prompted the Public Utility Commission to revisit a recommendation on cost allocation for large loads. The PUC and ERCOT have until July 17 to respond.
https://www.texasenergyandpower.com/p/gov-abbott-calls-for-data-centers
Office of the Governor: (Press Release) Governor Abbott Announces Nearly $30 Million In Grants For Electric Reliability In The Panhandle
June 29 — Governor Greg Abbott today announced a nearly $30 million Texas Energy Fund (TxEF) grant to strengthen electric reliability for Rita Blanca Electric Cooperative, Inc. (RBEC) members in the northwestern corner of the Texas Panhandle. The grant will help fund construction of a new substation, automation of an existing substation, transformer improvements, and upgrading wood poles to steel structures.
https://gov.texas.gov/news/post/governor-abbott-announces-nearly-30-million-in-grants-for-electric-reliability-in-the-panhandle
The National Law Review: Environ Energy Expands ERCOT Presence and Multifamily Portfolio with Infinity Power Partners Acquisition
June 29 — The acquisition also establishes a new “anchor segment” for Environ in the multifamily residential markets, adding a portfolio representing more than 1,400,000 units under contract across the United States.
https://natlawreview.com/press-releases/environ-energy-expands-ercot-presence-and-multifamily-portfolio-infinity
The Cool Down: 1,300 Texas landowners say they were shut out as power line route moved onto their property
June 29 — For some Central Texas landowners, the fight over a major transmission proposal began only after the process was already underway and their property had become part of the discussion.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/1-300-texas-landowners-were-050100952.html
San Antonio Express News: Texas ranch dispute highlights tensions over aging oil wells and who pays for cleanup
June 28 — There are thousands of oil and gas wells like these around Texas: low-producing wells leased by companies operating on a shoestring. About two-thirds of the active oil wells in Texas, or 99,000 wells, produce fewer than 10 barrels of oil a day, according to the state regulator. To remain active, they must produce at least five barrels for three consecutive months or at least one barrel for 12 consecutive months.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/texas-ranch-dispute-highlights-tensions-150000449.html
Sierra Club Pennsylvania: Data Centers: Even Worse Than You Think
June 27 — Data centers must deal with the huge quantities of heat generated by chips and servers running around the clock. Cooling systems may be based on air, water or chemicals. Some water-based systems use fresh water while others pass it through a continuous loop. Regardless of the design, very large amounts of water are involved, and data centers are being built in many places that are already stressed for water. Some cooling systems discharge large amounts of water containing chemical residues.
https://www.sierraclub.org/pennsylvania/blog/2026/06/data-centers-even-worse-you-think
KUT: Texas asked data centers to report their water use. Most of them didn’t respond
June 26 — Texas lawmakers are calling for the data center industry to be more transparent after it was revealed during a legislative hearing in Austin that the majority of the state’s data centers are not reporting their water usage.
https://www.kut.org/energy-environment/2026-06-26/texas-data-center-water-use-survey-legislature
Gadget Review: Hundreds of Data Centers Are Coming to Texas, and the State’s Plumbing May Not Be Ready
June 26 — Texas faces 439 gigawatts in grid requests and up to 161 billion gallons in annual water demand before planners wrote either into state policy.
https://www.gadgetreview.com/hundreds-of-data-centers-are-coming-to-texas-and-the-states-plumbing-may-not-be-ready
The Texas Lawbook: Dallas County Jury Clears Oncor in $270M Electric Shock Case
June 26 — A jury in Dallas County, after hearing nearly a week of testimony, determined a man who suffered severe and life-altering injuries after coming into contact with an Oncor utility line was a trespasser and was not entitled to any damages for his injuries.
https://texaslawbook.net/dallas-county-jury-clears-oncor-in-270m-electric-shock-case/
KETX: An unprecedented data center boom means new challenges for Texas. Find out what’s planned near you
June 26 — Developers and speculators had been buying up land across the state, looking to cash in on a chance to construct massive warehouses filled with computers to power artificial intelligence for companies such as Meta, Amazon and Google. Older, smaller data centers ran the Internet. Artificial intelligence and cloud computing demanded much more.
https://www.ketk.com/news/local-news/an-unprecedented-data-center-boom-means-new-challenges-for-texas-find-out-whats-planned-near-you/
CAA: Houston investment in grid resilience gets first test
June 26 — A Houston investment that has been a decade in the making quietly reached the grid this month: NRG Energy brought new units at its TH Wharton peaker plant into commercial operations on May 26, becoming the first major new-build power plant assets NRG has opened in more than 10 years.
https://capitalanalyticsassociates.com/houston-investment-in-grid-resilience-gets-first-test/
Houston Chronicle: NRG starts up Houston peaker plant
June 26 — The power plant, located off the Sam Houston Parkway in the Willowbrook area, is a peaker plant — a power plant that operates one to two hours each day, acting as a shock absorber to the power grid — said Matt Pistner, the president of NRG Wholesale. As energy demand in Texas continues to surge, largely driven by new AI data centers, developers have looked toward Houston, the energy capital of the world, as a location for new sites.
https://www.pressreader.com/usa/houston-chronicle/20260626/281887305029570
Fox 34: Governor Abbott announces $8.8 million in grants for electric reliability in the South Plains
June 26 — Governor Greg Abbott announced a package of four Texas Energy Fund grants totaling more than $8.8 million to strengthen electric reliability for Lamb County Electric Cooperative, Inc. members in the South Plains. The grants will support several reliability projects including transmission line replacement, increasing transformer capacity, and modernizing aging infrastructure.
https://www.fox34.com/2026/06/26/governor-abbott-announces-88-million-grants-electric-reliability-south-plains/
Utility Dive: Texas landowners seek pause in $2B, 765-kV transmission line case over notice concerns
June 25 — The Permian Basin power line request says property owners were not properly notified after route changes. The build-out is tied to growing ERCOT grid needs.
https://www.utilitydive.com/news/texas-landowners-transmission-line-puc-oncor-lcra/823657/
Crypto Briefing? Bitcoin miners seen as beneficial for electric grid amid AI demand
June 25 — A study from the Duke University Nicholas Institute, released in early 2025, found that controllable loads like Bitcoin mining could support up to 76 GW of new electricity demand. That’s roughly 10% of peak load capacity across the US. The kicker: it would require minimal curtailment of just 0.25% annually.
https://cryptobriefing.com/bitcoin-miners-electric-grid-ai-demand/
Industry Insider: Texas Approves New ERCOT Process to Speed Data Center Grid Connections
June 25 — The Public Utility Commission has approved a new ERCOT process to sort through more than 438,000 megawatts of large-load interconnection requests.
https://insider.govtech.com/texas/news/texas-approves-new-ercot-process-to-speed-data-center-grid-connections
Dallas Express: Abbott Announces Texas Energy Fund Loan For New 860-Megawatt Power Project In West Texas
June 25 — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced Wednesday that a new Texas Energy Fund loan has been finalized to support the construction of an 860-megawatt natural gas power project in West Texas, a development expected to supply electricity to approximately 215,000 homes.
https://dallasexpress.com/state/abbott-announces-texas-energy-fund-loan-for-new-860-megawatt-power-project-in-west-texas/
Dallas Express; Abbott Awards $22M Texas Energy Fund Grants For Panhandle Electric Reliability
June 25 — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced on Wednesday that more than $22 million in grants have been awarded through the Texas Energy Fund to strengthen electric reliability in northeast Texas and the Panhandle.
https://dallasexpress.com/state/abbott-awards-22m-texas-energy-fund-grants-for-panhandle-electric-reliability/
GAS UTILITY and RAILROAD COMMISSION NEWS
KERA News: Gas pipeline was not marked by locators before Oak Cliff apartment explosion, report says
July 1 — The NTSB’s report does not offer a cause of the gas explosion, instead largely providing a timeline of events. The detail about the gas line being unmarked was only mentioned in the footnotes of the report.
https://www.keranews.org/energy-environment/2026-07-01/ntsb-report-oak-cliff-apartment-explosion-dallas
NBC DFW: Dallas gas line was not marked before deadly fire, explosion, NTSB says
July 1 — The first federal report on a punctured natural gas line that exploded and destroyed a Dallas apartment building says the gas line had not been identified and marked before the May 28 blast.
https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/ntsb-report-dallas-fire-apartment-building-explosion/4043728/
Texas Tribune: Bo French says Texas shouldn’t recognize babies born to undocumented parents as American citizens
June 30 — The Railroad Commission, a century-old agency governing the state’s enormous oil and gas industry, has no bearing on immigration issues, nor can the three-panel commissioners make decisions that affect a person’s immigration status — an issue French regularly weighs in on.
https://www.texastribune.org/2026/06/30/bo-french-decries-birthright-citizenship-ruling/
Dallas Morning News: Former GOP candidate for Texas Railroad Commission will vote for Democratic nominee
June 30 — Hawk Dunlap, a fourth-generation oil worker who finished last among five candidates in the GOP primary in March, has endorsed state Rep. Jon Rosenthal of Houston for the agency that regulates the state’s oil and gas industry.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/former-gop-candidate-texas-railroad-202947947.html
Gizmodo: SpaceX Wants Its Own Gas Pipeline to Feed All the Starships
June 26 — Elon Musk’s rocket company wants to build its own gas pipeline as it pushes to control every step of Starship’s fuel supply.
https://gizmodo.com/spacex-wants-its-own-gas-pipeline-to-feed-all-the-starships-2000778302
Manufacturing: SpaceX plans to build ‘Starpipe’ natural gas pipeline to fuel Starship rockets
June 26 — The 40-story rocket is central to SpaceX’s push to expand its Starlink broadband network, deploy orbital AI data center satellites, and eventually carry astronauts to the moon and Mars.
https://manufacturing.economictimes.indiatimes.com/amp/news/aerospace-defence/spacex-plans-to-build-starpipe-natural-gas-pipeline-to-fuel-starship-rockets/132009835
Austin Current: Paxton says Austin’s ‘electric-ready’ building code violates Texas law
June 26 — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued an opinion finding Austin code requiring new buildings to be “electric-ready” discriminates against natural gas.
https://austincurrent.org/2026/06/26/texas-austin-paxton-energy-code-unlawful-utility-gas-electric/
Reuters: SpaceX plans to build ‘Starpipe’ natural gas pipeline to fuel Starship rockets
June 25 — Starpipe, which will end at SpaceX’s Texas company town of Starbase, is expected to be in service by January 26, according to a document filed last month with the Texas Railroad Commission by SpaceX affiliate Lone Star Mineral Development and reviewed by Reuters.
https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/spacex-plans-build-starpipe-natural-gas-pipeline-fuel-starship-rockets-2026-06-25/
Texas Tribune: Tensions with landowners rise as a raft of gas pipelines push through Texas properties
June 25 — Matterhorn Express, a pipeline entity majority-owned by the Austin-based infrastructure company WhiteWater Midstream, would transport Permian Basin gas 580 miles to the Houston area using the powers of eminent domain to sail through thousands of acres of private property.
https://www.texastribune.org/2026/06/25/texas-natural-gas-pipelines-eminent-domain-land-fights/