In some ways, it seems like the Texas power grid is having more problems than ever. We'll explore what's changed since the big blackout in February 2021 in the new season of our award-winning podcast.

In this episode of The Disconnect, we visit a Texas gas power plant that is preparing for winter, talk about the drama in Austin as lawmakers and oil and gas regulators square off over policy, and ask the question: Is Texas ready for another big freeze?

After millions of Texans lost power in February, state lawmakers vowed to fix the system that had failed so dramatically. But what, really, did they accomplish?

In the late 1800s, Austin's elite decided a dam was what was needed to attract more people and industry to the city. But dams weren't cheap. And to get taxpayers to foot the bill, it had to be built for the public good.

It’s happened before in other parts of the country, but in Texas it would play out much differently. That’s because Texas has its own power grid with minimal connections to neighboring grids.

In the 1930s, regulating industries was seen as essential to prevent another Great Depression. Later as America soured on regulation, Texas energy execs saw themselves as part of the solution.

Senate Bill 7, the bill that deregulated Texas' retail electrical market, was drafted in secret, championed by a disgraced energy giant and, ultimately, garnered bipartisan support. It drastically transformed Texas' energy landscape. Here's how it passed.

During the February blackout, much of Texas didn’t have access to electricity produced in states where snow and ice weren’t shutting things down.