The natural gas and oil booms in Texas have put strain on the west Texas electricity transmission infrastructure.  ERCOT, the organization responsible for keep the Texas grid running announced this week that they are approving $57 million in upgrades to the power lines that serve west Texas.

Texas, a power to choose state, has been dealing with concerns over the ability of the state power grid keeping up with electricity demand.  There was particular concern over the summer that narrowing reserve margins could potentially lead to rolling blackouts.  Fortunately,  the grid held up over the summer months without any major issues.

Interestingly, most Texas electricity is actually produced by natural gas.