Tens of thousands of Austin households and businesses went days without electricity after a winter storm wreaked havoc across Texas.

For some energy experts, the increase in donations for the officials at the close of the session looks like a reward for not passing more stringent regulations and raises questions about whether lawmakers let the oil, gas and the broader energy industry off easy for its massive failures.

A PUC spokesperson said Walker was “ceaselessly” on the phone, calling Nye about dozens of natural gas facilities that weren't on Oncor’s “critical” list. “There were phone calls every day.”By Wednesday, Feb. 17, natural gas supply in the state hit its lowest point during the storm, experts said. The Texas Energy Reliability Council — a voluntary body with no regulatory authority — usually meets twice a year. AdReliance on electricity, however, made the state’s electric power system a loop rather than a chain: Electricity relied on natural gas production, and natural gas production relied on electricity. So when demand for natural gas spiked during the frigid weather, homes got natural gas and some power plants didn’t, he said.

Multiple representatives from CPS Energy have pushed back on the notion that they were ill-equipped to forecast storms. AdMoreno said last week the utility also uses public sources like the National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio and local newscasts. RELATED: CPS Energy faces $1 billion bill for winter weather power crisisA CPS Energy vehicle. (KSAT)DTN’s vice president of weather operations, Renny Vandewege, told the Defenders via telephone Friday CPS uses a customized version of the company’s weather platform, WeatherSentry. And while DTN employs a significant number of meteorologists, Vandewege did not know if communication between DTN and CPS increased as the storm approached Texas.

Who is in charge of the state power grid? The deregulated power grid in Texas means no one company owns all the power plants, transmission lines and distribution networks, and about 60% of Texas customers choose between dozens of power retailers on an open market. Electricity generators, such as NRG and Vistra, produce power, while retail electric providers, such as Tara Energy and Griddy, sell it to residents and businesses. The transmission companies, such as Oncor, transport the power and are compensated by a fee on customer’s bills from their electric provider. A Texas Tribune and ProPublica investigation found that Texas regulators and lawmakers knew about the grid’s vulnerabilities for years, but repeatedly prioritized the interests of large electricity providers rather than force expensive changes.

Several neighborhoods lost power due to a winter storm that hit the state. “I cannot do this.”AdOfficials with the state's energy grid operator said it is still struggling with balancing supply and demand to the Texas power grid — and could not project when long-lasting outages would end. — Texas Tribune StaffAdPower grid operator underestimated peak demand during an extreme winter event[5 a.m.] Texas largely relies on natural gas — especially during times of high demand — to power the state. From pumping it out of the ground to the plants in city centers, experts say natural gas infrastructure was unprepared for the plunging temperatures brought by the winter storm. — Erin DouglasFrozen wind turbines aren't the main culprit for Texas' power outages[5 a.m.] Frozen wind turbines in Texas caused some conservative politicians to declare that the state was relying too much on renewable energy.

Prolonged power outages have already upended Texans' lives as more wintry precipitation is expected across the state. As temperatures began to plummet across Texas on Sunday night, residents were warned that they could face short-term, rotating power outages to prevent the entire electricity grid from going down. Blindsided by the power outages and total lack of planning? AdOn Monday, Abbott and ERCOT, the power grid operator, celebrated the return of power to hundreds of thousands of Texas homes and noted the situation was improving. Abbott and other lawmakers Tuesday slammed ERCOT for the prolonged power outages and called for resignations and an investigation.