Public Utility Commission of Texas Chairman Thomas Gleeson speaks to CenterPoint Energy CEO Jason Wells during a PUC meeting July 25 in the Commissioners Hearing Room at the William B. Travis State Office Building in Austin.

CenterPoint Energy CEO Jason Wells speaks to commissioners of the Public Utility Commission of Texas during a meeting July 25 in the Commissioners Hearing Room at the William B. Travis State Office Building in Austin.

State Sen. Paul Bettencourt, pictured in 2018.

State Sen. Judith Zaffirini pictured in 2022.

Texas Republicans and Democrats rarely agree on anything, but CenterPoint’s grid failure during Hurricane Beryl united 13 senators Monday to rage against the utility and demand every electricity transmission and distribution company to better prepare for future disasters.

However, the truth that emerged from the Texas Senate hearing is that state leaders have not adequately overseen the electric business for decades. Winter Storm Uri in 2021 demonstrated that our generation system was decrepit; Beryl proved the electric lines and poles were, too.

The question is what the governor and lawmakers will do about it.

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All the lawmakers agreed that millions of Houstonians should not have gone so long without electricity following a Category 1 hurricane. They also correctly questioned........

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