Fogbow

Due to the recent winter weather and the resulting plumbing issues many residential and commercial customers face, all permit fees for plumbing, water, and gas repairs for work related to the recent winter weather event and sub-freezing temperatures, will be waived until further notice.

In addition, as of February 11, the Utility Collections department has not, and currently is not, cutting off customer’s water for non-payment. Utility Collections is also not charging for emergency water cutoffs due to winter storm damage. Customers who have experienced a leak are encouraged to contact Utility Collections to determine the appropriate documentation needed to potentially have their winter-month-average sewer charge adjusted.

bill_g wrote: ↑Tue Feb 23, 2021 8:59 am I heard a report on NPR yesterday morning that because of deregulated electric system in TX, some people are facing +$10K residential electric bills for the last month. Yikes!

Gary Huddleston, grocery industry consultant for the Texas Retailers Association, said power outages at both grocery stores and distribution centers were the main culprit behind the supply chain disruption, not just the icy roads.

“I think we’ve had enough historical events to last us a little while,” he said, praising the grocery store and food warehouse workers for their hard work over the last week, after months of working through the pandemic.

"We want to be extremely appreciative to our employees," Huddleston said.

Once the winter weather struck Texas and the power outages began, many stores and warehouses were forced to throw out perishables due to safety guidelines on food products.

Volkonski wrote: ↑Tue Feb 23, 2021 4:12 pm Now 79F so I have moved out to the patio.

The house next door is getting a new roof.

Dog barking somewhere.

Volkonski wrote: ↑Fri Feb 26, 2021 1:52 pm Got a new WiFi enabled dishwasher yesterday. We had one in our previous house. Now I can monitor the dishwasher via my smartphone.

sugar magnolia wrote: ↑Fri Feb 26, 2021 5:03 pm

Volkonski wrote: ↑Fri Feb 26, 2021 1:52 pm Got a new WiFi enabled dishwasher yesterday. We had one in our previous house. Now I can monitor the dishwasher via my smartphone.

Why?

zekeb wrote: ↑Fri Feb 26, 2021 3:00 pm I have one. Damn thing never would load the dishes itself.

Tiredretiredlawyer wrote: ↑Sat Feb 27, 2021 10:08 am

zekeb wrote: ↑Fri Feb 26, 2021 3:00 pm I have one. Damn thing never would load the dishes itself.

That's what kids are for.

The largest and oldest power cooperative in Texas is filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, citing last month’s winter storm that left millions without power.

Brazos Electric Power Cooperative, which serves 16 distribution member cooperatives that cater to more than 1.5 million Texans across 68 counties from the Texas Panhandle to Houston, said Monday that it was a “financially robust, stable company” prior to the severe cold weather that hit Texas between February 13 and February 19.

Much of Texas’ power grid collapsed, followed by its water systems. Tens of millions huddled in frigid homes. Others fled for safety. The state, long suspicious of regulation and outside help, was left to seek aid from other states and humanitarian groups as many of its 29 million people grasped for survival.

Brazos said that it received excessively high invoices from the Electric Reliability Council of Texas for collateral and for purported cost of electric service. The invoices were required to be paid within days. As a cooperative, Brazos’ costs are passed through to its members and retail consumers served by its members. Brazos decided that it won’t pass on the ERCOT costs to its members or the consumers.

Volkonski wrote: ↑Mon Mar 01, 2021 11:23 am https://apnews.com/article/us-news-weat ... 5121bb3a1c

Texas power company seeks bankruptcy protection after storm

The largest and oldest power cooperative in Texas is filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, citing last month’s winter storm that left millions without power.

Brazos Electric Power Cooperative, which serves 16 distribution member cooperatives that cater to more than 1.5 million Texans across 68 counties from the Texas Panhandle to Houston, said Monday that it was a “financially robust, stable company” prior to the severe cold weather that hit Texas between February 13 and February 19.

Much of Texas’ power grid collapsed, followed by its water systems. Tens of millions huddled in frigid homes. Others fled for safety. The state, long suspicious of regulation and outside help, was left to seek aid from other states and humanitarian groups as many of its 29 million people grasped for survival.

Brazos said that it received excessively high invoices from the Electric Reliability Council of Texas for collateral and for purported cost of electric service. The invoices were required to be paid within days. As a cooperative, Brazos’ costs are passed through to its members and retail consumers served by its members. Brazos decided that it won’t pass on the ERCOT costs to its members or the consumers.

“It is now time to open Texas 100%,” Abbott said from a Mexican restaurant in Lubbock, arguing that Texas has fought the coronavirus pandemic to the point that “people and businesses don’t need the state telling them how to operate” any longer.

Abbott said he was rescinding “most of the earlier executive orders” he has issued over the past year to stem the spread of the virus. He said starting next Wednesday, “all businesses of any type are allowed to open 100%” and masks will no longer be required in public.

The news comes as the spread of the virus remains substantial across the state. Texas is averaging more than 200 reported deaths a day in the last week.

Still, the move is not entirely surprising. Abbott said Thursday that his office was looking at when it could lift all statewide coronavirus orders and that he would have announcements “pretty soon.” Texas will be the most populous state in the country not to have a mask mandate. More than 30 states currently have one in place.