
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.
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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.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams' historic federal corruption case has been dropped with prejudice, meaning Adams cannot be re-tried on the same charges at a later time
The closely-watched race was the most expensive judicial election in U.S. history.
President Trump is expected to announce the details of his reciprocal tariffs plan after 4 p.m. at the White House.
A unique talent, Val Kilmer was praised as an acting chameleon who took on varied and challenging roles, and the results were often memorable.
Republican Randy Fine won the House seat formerly held by Mike Waltz, while Republican Jimmy Patronis won the house seat vacated by Matt Gaetz.
London police say convicted serial rapist Zhenhao Zou may have targeted over 50 other women, and almost two dozen have come forward already.
Israel says its war in Gaza is "expanding to crush and clean the area" of Hamas, but Palestinian civilians are once again being killed and displaced in huge numbers.
Tesla is seeing softer demand for its electric vehicles amid protests over Elon Musk's government role at DOGE.
A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to temporarily restore legal aid to migrant kids in the U.S. without a parent or guardian.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams' historic federal corruption case has been dropped with prejudice, meaning Adams cannot be re-tried on the same charges at a later time.
U.S. health officials said 224 passengers and 17 crew on board the Cunard cruise ship Queen Mary 2 caught norovirus during a voyage that's still ongoing.
Tesla is seeing softer demand for its electric vehicles amid protests over Elon Musk's government role at DOGE.
Oliver Stone's "JFK" was nominated for eight Oscars and grossed more than $200 million but was also dogged by questions about its historical accuracy.
President Trump is expected to announce the details of his reciprocal tariffs plan after 4 p.m. at the White House.
Tesla is seeing softer demand for its electric vehicles amid protests over Elon Musk's government role at DOGE.
President Trump is expected to announce the details of his reciprocal tariffs plan after 4 p.m. at the White House.
As Trump's tariffs push Chinese businesses to seek new markets, one expert says the trade war is likely to get worse before it gets better.
Each year, more than 400 Americans die from unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning. Here's what to know about traveling with a detector.
President Trump is expected to announce reciprocal tariffs today on a number of other countries. Here's what to know about these import taxes.
State Senator Mallory McMorrow of Royal Oak declares candidacy for 2026 U.S. Senate seat from Michigan.
Oliver Stone's "JFK" was nominated for eight Oscars and grossed more than $200 million but was also dogged by questions about its historical accuracy.
A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to temporarily restore legal aid to migrant kids in the U.S. without a parent or guardian.
President Trump is expected to announce the details of his reciprocal tariffs plan after 4 p.m. at the White House.
More than 130 staff were cut from the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine, officials said.
More than 130 staff were cut from the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine, officials said.
Each year, more than 400 Americans die from unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning. Here's what to know about traveling with a detector.
The Navajo Nation has a unique program to fight sexually transmitted infections, including syphilis.
It is unclear what will happen to hundreds of pending requests for public information as the health agencies slash staff.
The lawsuit, filed in Rhode Island, calls the HHS cuts to public health grants illegal.
London police say convicted serial rapist Zhenhao Zou may have targeted over 50 other women, and almost two dozen have come forward already.
Israel says its war in Gaza is "expanding to crush and clean the area" of Hamas, but Palestinian civilians are once again being killed and displaced in huge numbers.
Malanga's 21-year-old son Marcel was among the Americans convicted for participating in the coup plot that left six dead
As Trump's tariffs push Chinese businesses to seek new markets, one expert says the trade war is likely to get worse before it gets better.
A toddler unearthed an ancient treasure dating back to the Middle Bronze Age during a trip to the archaeological site Tel Azekah earlier this month.
Hollywood icon Val Kilmer died Tuesday of pneumonia at 65 years old. The actor was known for his roles in movies like "Top Gun," "Batman Forever" and "The Doors." CBS News' Vlad Duthiers looks back on his life and legacy.
A unique talent, Val Kilmer was praised as an acting chameleon who took on varied and challenging roles, and the results were often memorable.
Kim Delaney, an Emmy-winning actor known for her role on "NYPD Blue," will not face criminal charges in connection with her arrest in Marina Del Rey in an alleged domestic dispute over the weekend.
Actor Román Zaragoza spoke to "CBS Mornings" about hope for his character's struggling love life in the CBS comedy, "Ghosts."
Magician and puzzle master David Kwong joins "CBS Mornings Plus" to talk about his new children's book, "How to Fool Your Parents," which teaches over two dozen magic tricks, just in time for April Fools' Day.
As cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence advancements are made, U.S. demand for the energy needed to power massive mining and data centers grows. David Turk, former deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy, joins "The Daily Report" to discuss how much energy the U.S. needs and the potential environmental impacts.
White House chief of staff Susie Wiles was among the contacts listed in Waltz's Venmo account.
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.
Several newspapers have sued OpenAI and Microsoft, seeking to end the practice of using their stories to train artificial intelligence chatbots.
The Senate Intelligence Committee heard testimony on Tuesday from key players involved in a group chat on the messaging app Signal, in which the U.S.'s highly sensitive plans to bomb Houthi targets in Yemen were discussed inadvertently with a journalist. President Trump said that his administration would investigate the government's use of Signal. CBS News contributor and former CIA official Andrew Boyd has more on what it is and how it's used.
Originally scheduled for just 8 days aboard the International Space Station, the two astronauts spent over 9 months in orbit due to delays with their Boeing Starliner return. Now back on Earth, they share how they coped, what they missed most, and how the mission unexpectedly became political.
Authorities in Iceland were forced by a new volcanic eruption to evacuate dozens of homes and shut down the hugely popular Blue Lagoon tourist attraction.
The international all-civilian Fram2 crew is the first in space history to fly to orbit with no licensed pilot or trained astronaut on board.
"I've seen a lot of strange insects, but this has to be one of the most peculiar-looking ones I've seen in a while," said one entomologist.
Bees play a key role in the U.S. food supply, and the mass deaths could jeopardize that.
London police say convicted serial rapist Zhenhao Zou may have targeted over 50 other women, and almost two dozen have come forward already.
Attorney General Pam Bondi says the Department of Justice will seek the death penalty in the case against Luigi Mangione for the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York City. CBS News' Shanelle Kaul reports.
AG Pam Bondi directed federal prosecutors to pursue the death penalty against Luigi Mangione, the UnitedHealthcare CEO murder suspect.
One recruit who reportedly survived the Jalisco cartel ranch said those who refused or tried to escape were beaten, tortured and killed.
A new trial is underway in the case surrounding Boston police officer John O'Keefe's death. Karen Read, O'Keefe's former girlfriend, is facing second-degree murder and other charges after her first court case ended in a mistrial in 2024. CBS News' Katrina Kaufman has more.
The first images captured by NASA's SPHEREx space telescope showed tens of thousands of stars and galaxies.
Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are sharing more details about their experience in space aboard the International Space Station after their time in Boeing's Starliner capsule. CBS News' Mark Strassmann spoke to the pair about their journey.
Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams addressed the media for the first time Monday since returning to Earth almost two weeks ago. CBS News senior national correspondent Mark Strassmann reports from the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.
NASA astronauts Sunita "Suni" Williams and Barry "Butch" Wilmore are adjusting to life back on Earth after spending more than nine unplanned months in space. The astronauts discussed their science mission at a news conference on Monday from the agency's Johnson Space Center in Houston. Former NASA astronaut Dr. Tom Marshburn joins CBS News to unpack the pair's comments.
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, who were stuck in space for more than nine months, took questions after returning to Earth.
A look back at the esteemed personalities who've left us this year, who'd touched us with their innovation, creativity and humanity.
A look into a grieving husband Jan Cilliers' investigative work after his wife Christy Giles and her friend Hilda Marcela Cabrales died after a night out.
Peterson's death sentence for the murder of his pregnant wife Laci has been overturned. Now his supporters are pushing for a complete retrial.
The seesaw marriage between the former ballerina and her much older husband only lasted four years, until she shot him on Sept. 27, 2020.
Cayley Mandadi's mother and stepfather go to extreme lengths to prove her death was no accident.
The United Kingdom and the rest of Europe are bracing for potential tariffs as part of President Trump's highly-anticipated announcement. The move could strain already fragile relations with the U.S. CBS News' Ramy Inocencio has more.
In an exclusive interview, the wife of a Maryland migrant spoke to CBS News after the Trump administration admitted to mistakenly deporting the man to a notorious El Salvador prison due to an "administrative error." Kilmar Abrego Garcia received protected immigration status from a judge in 2019, but was part of the controversial deportation flights last month.
Mass layoffs began Tuesday at federal health agencies. HHS has defended the downsizing strategy, saying it will eliminate redundancies and save taxpayer money. Critics argue the workforce reductions have already impacted vital programs.
In the most expensive judicial contest ever, Democratic-backed candidate Susan Crawford won a seat on Wisconsin's Supreme Court, defeating the GOP candidate who had support from President Trump and Elon Musk. Meanwhile, the two Florida House seats that were up for grabs will remain in Republican control, increasing the GOP's narrow majority in the chamber.
From auto makers to construction companies, many industries and their consumers are bracing for President Trump's looming tariffs announcement. CBS News' Weijia Jiang has the latest.