AUSTIN, Texas (KXXV) — Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick announced Wednesday that the Texas Senate has unanimously passed Senate Bill 6, which aims to improve the state’s electric grid reliability.
Patrick praised the legislation, authored by Sen. Phil King, R-Weatherford, as a critical step to support Texas' economic growth and energy demands.
"Texas is open for business like never before. As more people and companies move to Texas, our grid must become stronger and more reliable to ensure the Texas Miracle continues uninterrupted," Patrick said.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) estimates the state's power demand could reach between 130 and 150 gigawatts by 2030, up from a peak of 86 gigawatts in 2024. Patrick emphasized that SB 6 would help Texas accommodate this growth while protecting consumers from rising energy costs.
The bill seeks to improve ERCOT's load forecasting transparency, enhance outage protections for residential consumers, adjust transmission cost allocations, and bolster grid reliability.
Patrick also highlighted the bill’s role in advancing Texas' position in artificial intelligence, stating that strengthening the power grid would help Texas lead in AI development while supporting national efforts.
"Sen. King and the entire Senate’s leadership on SB 6 will ensure the ERCOT grid is prepared to grow and place Texas at the epicenter of helping President Trump achieve AI dominance over China and make Texas number one in AI," Patrick said.
SB 6 has now been moved to the Texas House for consideration.
