Panel to examine drought effect on grid

AUSTIN (AP) — A Texas Senate committee will examine how current and future drought conditions might hurt the state's capacity to generate electricity and could leave some areas without enough power.

The Senate Business and Commerce Committee on Tuesday is set to analyze response plans and identify parts of Texas that may be affected by a lack of power production capacity.

Planners are rushing to approve coal-fired power plants, expand nuclear facilities, create more wind power, build transmission lines and extract natural gas to meet the rising demands of the state's growing population.

Vast amounts of water, however, are often necessary to generate electricity.

The worst single-year drought in Texas history has made water scarce, prompting residents in some parts of the state to oppose new projects and even take utilities to court.