Texas paid bitcoin miner $31 million to cut energy use during heat wave
To ease load on aging grid, state program offers energy credits to bitcoin miners to curtail their power consumption.
To ease load on aging grid, state program offers energy credits to bitcoin miners to curtail their power consumption.
The state of Texas has sweltered this summer under a seemingly endless cycle of extreme heat warnings. Those high temperatures have put a strain on the state's power grid, with Texas' grid operator saying demand for energy has set seven records this summer alone. Emily Foxhall, Texas Tribune energy reporter, joins CBS News to give an update on how the state's power grid is performing.
The price hikes come as demand for electricity in the Lone Star State has soared in recent weeks.
Millions of Americans are still feeling the heat. At least 33 states saw temperatures reach 90 degrees Fahrenheit on Friday, and it's a trend scientists say will likely continue. Texas Tribune energy reporter Emily Foxhall joins CBS News to discuss how the Lone Star State's power grid is keeping up with demand.
The storm system has placed more than 100 million Americans under winter weather alerts, and over 4,000 flights had already been canceled by Thursday morning.
With the heat index going into triple digits, ERCOT is asking Texans to raise thermostats and shut off large appliances.
Amid the winter storm last month, one woman was billed $9,546 between February 1 to19 — 40 times more than her typical bill of $200 to $250.
Some Griddy customers were charged more than $9,500 even as last month's blackout caused residents to lose power.
Approaching ouster of Bill Magness comes after last month's outages left millions without power and head in frigid temperatures.
A Houston family is in mourning after their loved one died of hypothermia during last week's power outages. Janet Shamlian reports on their loss and how they're trying to cope.
Texas resident claims power provider Griddy broke price-gouging laws as winter storm knocked out power.
"We're victims of our own attempt to let free market forces work," said one lawmaker investigating last week's outages.
Texas lawmakers will hold a hearing Thursday to address the state's power grid failure during last week's winter storm. At least five board members from the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) have resigned. It comes as the state's petrochemical plants say they may have released millions of pounds of excess pollution into the air due to failures of the power grid. Erin Douglas, the Texas Tribune's environment reporter, joins CBSN's "Red & Blue" anchor Elaine Quijano to discuss the backlash Governor Greg Abbott is facing, as well as the communities that are likely to experience the greatest impact from the spike in air pollution.
The board members cited concerns of "out of state leadership," as three live in other states, and one lives in another country.
Four board members are resigning from the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, or ERCOT, after last week's deadly winter storm knocked out power for millions. Dallas Morning News political writer Gromer Jeffers joins CBSN's "Red & Blue" host Elaine Quijano to discuss what comes next for the state's power plans.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott gave an update Sunday to address how the state is dealing with the ongoing crises of skyrocketing energy bills, food shortages and lack of access to water after deadly winter weather crippled the state's infrastructure. Watch Abbott's press conference.
The adult film star was called to the witness stand to testify at the former president's criminal trial in New York.
The Israeli military says it's reopened the Kerem Shalom crossing into Gaza, a key terminal for the entry of humanitarian aid, but the nearby Rafah crossing seized by Israel was still closed.
The start date for former President Trump's classified documents trial was originally scheduled for May 20.
Three public school district leaders are testifying before a congressional panel Tuesday on antisemitism incidents in their schools.
Tens of thousands of migrants are estimated to be waiting in Mexico, in places like Ciudad Juárez where shelter space is limited and the conditions are sometimes dire.
A sixth construction worker was recovered from the Key Bridge wreckage site Tuesday.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene said she would force a vote on ousting House Speaker Mike Johnson this week, but appeared to be retreating on the threat — for now.
After more than three decades, Ventura police have solved the murder of Danielle Clause, who was found dead on a hillside in 1991.
Gov. Tim Walz on Tuesday signed a ticket transparency bill aimed at protecting music fans when they buy tickets for shows.
The worker stabbed a woman and two guards who tried to intervene before being subdued and held in a "shipboard jail," the affidavit says.
Three public school district leaders are testifying before a congressional panel Tuesday on antisemitism incidents in their schools.
Stormy Daniels was called to the witness stand to testify at former President Donald Trump's trial in New York on Tuesday.
United Launch Alliance decided to replace a suspect valve in the Atlas 5 rocket's upper stage, delaying launch to late next week.
Tens of thousands of migrants are estimated to be waiting in Mexico, in places like Ciudad Juárez where shelter space is limited and the conditions are sometimes dire.
Panera is phasing out a highly caffeinated selection of lemonade beverages that's at the center of several lawsuits.
FDIC Chair Martin Gruenberg is also a focus of the report, which claims he treated staff in a "demeaning and inappropriate manner."
Starbucks, once one of America's most cherished brands, is in a rut. Even long-time former CEO Howard Schultz is worried.
Video gamers eagerly awaiting a successor to Nintendo's hit Switch system finally got a clue on when to expect a new device.
Nvidia and Microsoft are among the backers of Wayve and its embodied AI technology, described as "GPT for driving."
Three public school district leaders are testifying before a congressional panel Tuesday on antisemitism incidents in their schools.
Stormy Daniels was called to the witness stand to testify at former President Donald Trump's trial in New York on Tuesday.
Tens of thousands of migrants are estimated to be waiting in Mexico, in places like Ciudad Juárez where shelter space is limited and the conditions are sometimes dire.
Gov. Tim Walz on Tuesday signed a ticket transparency bill aimed at protecting music fans when they buy tickets for shows.
The start date for former President Trump's classified documents trial was originally scheduled for May 20.
According to a new study, "vehicles are likely important sources of human exposure to potentially harmful" flame retardants.
Panera is phasing out a highly caffeinated selection of lemonade beverages that's at the center of several lawsuits.
Recall includes yogurt pretzels and other confections sold by retailers such as Dollar General, HyVee, Target and Walmart.
A survey from the American Academy of Dermatology finds more than one-third of adults reported getting a sunburn last year — the highest number since 2020.
Hormel Foods says potentially contaminated products were shipped to Publix and Dollar Tree distribution warehouses.
2 days after an apartment building collapsed in South Africa, the search continued for 42 construction workers still believed to be buried in the rubble
The Israeli military says it's reopened the Kerem Shalom crossing into Gaza, a key terminal for the entry of humanitarian aid, but the nearby Rafah crossing seized by Israel was still closed.
The shooting comes amid a rap beef between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, but police said they could not speak to a motive at this stage of the investigation.
2 Ukrainian security officers have been detained and accused of treason over an alleged Russian plot to kill President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
South African rescuers are "actually hearing people through the rubble" after a building collapsed in the city of George.
Gov. Tim Walz on Tuesday signed a ticket transparency bill aimed at protecting music fans when they buy tickets for shows.
Stars were in full bloom at the Met Gala Monday night. The dress code was "Garden of Time." Rachel Smith from "Entertainment Tonight" breaks down fashion's biggest night.
Five-time Grammy winner Brittany Howard talks about how her latest album was born from a period of intense soul-searching and solitude in Nashville.
Gayle King gives viewers a behind-the-scenes look at her preparation and journey to the Met Gala.
Oprah Winfrey unveils "Long Island" as her latest book club pick on "CBS Mornings." The sequel to Colm Tóibín's best-selling novel "Brooklyn," "Long Island" continues the story of Eilis Lacey more than two decades later now as a mother and wife in America.
Video gamers eagerly awaiting a successor to Nintendo's hit Switch system finally got a clue on when to expect a new device.
The lawsuit claims that the measure, signed into law by President Biden, is unconstitutional.
From labor shortages to environmental impacts, farmers are looking to AI to help revolutionize the agriculture industry. One California startup, Farm-ng, is tapping into the power of AI and robotics to perform a wide range of tasks, including seeding, weeding and harvesting.
Boeing's Starliner was set to make its maiden voyage to the International Space Station, with its first piloted launch Monday night. But the launch, already pushed back following years of delays, was scrubbed with less than two hours to go before liftoff. Mark Strassmanm reports.
Sidechat, an app launched in 2022 where students can post anonymously about their colleges, is becoming a tool for those choosing to protest at U.S. campuses. Amanda Silberling, a senior culture writer for TechCrunch, joins CBS News with more details on the app.
The visualization, produced on a NASA supercomputer, allows users to experience flight towards a supermassive black hole.
Boeing's Starliner was set to make its maiden voyage to the International Space Station, with its first piloted launch Monday night. But the launch, already pushed back following years of delays, was scrubbed with less than two hours to go before liftoff. Mark Strassmanm reports.
Reported sightings of giant, toxic, invasive hammerhead flatworms are on the rise in parts of southeastern Canada. Experts say the worms can grow up to 3 feet long and pose a risk to children, pets and other small animals. Peter Ducey, PH.D. and distinguished teaching professor at SUNY Cortland, joins CBS News to discuss the worm.
When NASA added a tiny four-pound helicopter as a stowaway to its Mars 2020 lander, it expected the helicopter to fly five very brief flights in the thin Martian atmosphere. Yet, Ingenuity would far surpass all expectations.
When NASA added a drone named Ingenuity to its Mars 2020 rover Perseverance, it expected the tiny four-pound helicopter to fly a total of five very brief missions in the thin Martian atmosphere. But Ingenuity far surpassed all expectations, flying dozens of flights before suffering damage to its rotors in January. Correspondent David Pogue reports on how the tiny drone, created from off-the-shelf parts, continued to provide valuable data and images from the Red Planet three years into its mission.
The worker stabbed a woman and two guards who tried to intervene before being subdued and held in a "shipboard jail," the affidavit says.
A former Mayo Clinic resident accused of fatally poisoning his wife last year may have been identifying as a widower before she even died, a new warrant reveals.
Alexander Louie, 34, told authorities he was not taking his HIV medication so he could purposely infect his partners.
Officials are releasing new details in the deaths of two Australians and an American who were found dead near a camping site in Mexico with gunshot wounds last week. CBS News correspondent Carter Evans has more.
The shooting comes amid a rap beef between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, but police said they could not speak to a motive at this stage of the investigation.
United Launch Alliance decided to replace a suspect valve in the Atlas 5 rocket's upper stage, delaying launch to late next week.
The visualization, produced on a NASA supercomputer, allows users to experience flight towards a supermassive black hole.
Boeing's Starliner space capsule is set for a historic launch Monday night. CBS News space consultant Bill Harwood looks at the long-awaited mission into orbit, and what it could mean for the future of space travel.
Boeing's Starliner was set to make its maiden voyage to the International Space Station, with its first piloted launch Monday night. But the launch, already pushed back following years of delays, was scrubbed with less than two hours to go before liftoff. Mark Strassmanm reports.
The planned piloted launch of Boeing's long-delayed Starliner crew ferry ship was called off with less than two hours to go before liftoff.
A look back at the esteemed personalities who've left us this year, who'd touched us with their innovation, creativity and humanity.
The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed early Tuesday, March 26 after a column was struck by a container ship that reportedly lost power, sending vehicles and people into the Patapsco River.
When Tiffiney Crawford was found dead inside her van, authorities believed she might have taken her own life. But could she shoot herself twice in the head with her non-dominant hand?
We look back at the life and career of the longtime host of "Sunday Morning," and "one of the most enduring and most endearing" people in broadcasting.
Cayley Mandadi's mother and stepfather go to extreme lengths to prove her death was no accident.
President Biden marked Holocaust Remembrance Day with a speech Tuesday, supporting Israel. Speaking at the U.S. Capitol, Biden warned that the lessons from the Holocaust are being lost.
Robert Costa and CBS News legal analyst Rikki Klieman break down former President Donald Trump's New York criminal trial after adult film actor Stormy Daniels testifies.
A deadly outbreak of storms in Oklahoma has left multiple communities reeling. Families now look to rebuild after the severe storms, including an EF-4 tornado that took out up to 70 homes in Barnsdall, Oklahoma, Monday night.
The Oklahoma town of Bartlesville was devastated by a tornado Monday night. The twister, which was on the ground for some 35 miles, was one of at least 22 recorded across seven states that night. Dave Malkoff reports.
Adult film actor Stormy Daniels took the stand in former President Donald Trump's criminal trial on Tuesday. The judge denied Trump's request for a mistrial based on her testimony. CBS News national correspondent Errol Barnett reports.