• High summer temperatures in Texas set records for peak energy use this week, and the Texas Public Utility Commission will decide whether or not to raise wholesale electricity rates by 50%.
• A vote is set to take place Thursday and could lead to more power plants being built.
• The three commissioners, appointed by Texas Gov. Rick Perry, will decide whether or not to hike the current wholesale cap from $3,000 per megawatt-hour to $4,500, a change that would be reflected as of Aug. 1.

From the article:

With temperatures now soaring into the 100s, the Texas Public Utility Commission is set to vote Thursday on raising the price cap on wholesale electricity rates by 50 percent later this summer, a move advocates hope would spur construction of new power plants to help the state avoid rolling blackouts and meet future energy demands. ...