NATURAL GAS

After last winter’s near-statewide electric blackouts, Texas lawmakers went after regulators they deemed responsible but tiptoed around the Texas Railroad Commission, which regulates oil and gas. Now voters have a chance, if they want it, to send the state a message.

With more than 4,300 customers in Seguin and McQueeney cut off from natural gas service since Tuesday because of a damaged pipeline, restaurants with gas appliances found themselves either struggling to stay open or having to close.

The City of Seguin is experiencing a natural gas outage after what city leaders described as a “system crash” with a main line that provides gas service to the city.

CPS Energy officials this week declined to release information related to natural gas purchases made ahead of the latest winter storm, claiming in a letter sent to the Texas Attorney General that the information is confidential.

In the state’s power grid, electricity and natural gas are co-dependent. Here’s how the winter storm last year broke the system.

Gov. Greg Abbott said he could not guarantee power would stay on throughout Texas this week, just two months after he promised the lights would stay on this winter.

The new development ends the immediate threat that up to 400,000 customers could lose power, but the underlying financial dispute between two energy giants stemming from last February's winter storm remains unresolved.

Vistra Corp. asked the Railroad Commission of Texas to prevent Energy Transfer LP from cutting off fuel to five of its power plants on Monday. Vistra said the power supply to at least 400,000 homes and businesses could be impacted.

CPS Energy has now spent over $7 million on outside attorneys and consultants to fight natural gas bills it racked up during February’s winter storm, records obtained by the KSAT 12 Defenders show.

CPS Energy officials have dismissed at least three lawsuits against natural gas suppliers it accused of price gouging and charging exorbitant rates for fuel during February’s winter blast, court records obtained by the KSAT 12 Defenders show.

SAN ANTONIO – Some people who work near the Pearl say business is down, and it has nothing to do with their products. “Kind of smells like a dead animal over here.”Others described the area smelling like sewage or gas. “I thought it was natural gas. We call natural gas. CPS Energy officials say crews scanned the area and found a small natural gas leak from a broken boiler.