Abbott’s Electricity Battle with Cities | Texas News

Texas News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Aug 8, 2026 · 2m

Governor Greg Abbott is rolling out a bold plan to force city-owned utilities like Austin Energy into open-market competition, claiming it will slash electricity bills by more than 10% for millions of Texans. But Austin officials fiercely oppose, warning deregulation could raise costs and disrupt reliable service — especially since Austin Energy already offers some of the state’s lowest rates and funds critical city services. While Abbott sees this as ending “city monopolies,” real-world examples like Lubbock show deregulation can backfire, driving prices up instead. This high-stakes clash…