Brazos Bankruptcy Trial: Ex-ERCOT CEO Knew ‘Financial Storm Was Brewing’ After Winter Storm Uri

The former CEO of the ERCOT told U.S. Chief Bankruptcy Judge David Jones on Wednesday that he would not do anything differently in how the state agency handled the power grid during Winter Storm Uri a year ago and said that setting power prices at $9,000 per megawatt hour was not an error but a decision to “protect the reliability of the system.” Bill Magness is testifying in day two of the bankruptcy trial of Brazos Electric Coop, which is asking Judge Jones to significantly reduce the $1.9 billion ERCOT charged to the Waco-based power supplier during the four days last February when temperatures plummeted to record lows.

February 23, 2022 Mark Curriden

Legal, Financial Advisor Fees in Brazos Electric Ch. 11 Hit $33.6M

As the first Chapter 11 filing by a utility co-op in the wake of Winter Storm Uri rolls on, the billable hours by lawyers for both sides are piling up – with no end in immediate sight. More than 30 lawyers in the bankruptcy case are billing at more than $1,000 an hour.

November 15, 2021 Mark Curriden & Bruce Tomaso

Bankruptcy Judge to Hear Brazos Electric’s Arguments to Dismiss ERCOT’s $1.9B Claim

The dispute, which stems from emergency pricing for electricity imposed during February’s devastating Winter Storm Uri, could have far-ranging implications for other electric providers who were forced to pay up to $9,000 per megawatt hour – 300 times the normal rate – during the winter storm.

October 12, 2021 Bruce Tomaso

ERCOT to Brazos Electric: ‘I Just Do What I’m Told. Now Pay Me My $2 Billion.’

ERCOT, operator of the Texas electric grid, says it was just following orders when it charged Brazos Electric Power Coop roughly $2 billion for power and related services provided during the deadly storm in February – a staggering bill that drove Brazos, the state’s largest and oldest electric cooperative, into bankruptcy. The Texas Lawbook has the story.

September 24, 2021 Bruce Tomaso

Business Bankruptcies Decline, But Signs of Danger Are Ahead

Corporate bankruptcies in Texas fell significantly during the first six months of 2021 compared to the record numbers that were filed last year as a result of Covid-19 and the recession. But bankruptcy judges are still much busier than they were before the pandemic thanks to Winter Storm Uri. SDTX Bankruptcy Chief Judge David Jones and legal experts explain why in this report.

August 9, 2021 Mark Curriden

Weil Joins Nat’l Firms in Relocating Partners to Texas  

Weil Gotshal announced Monday that one of its New York bankruptcy partners, Gabe Morgan, is moving to the firm's Houston office. The New York-based Weil is the latest large national corporate law firm to relocate partners and associates from their other offices to Texas due to the tight legal market where the demand for legal services has far outpaced the supply of experienced legal talent.

July 12, 2021 Mark Curriden

So, the Defendant Filed for Bankruptcy … What’s Next?

A bankruptcy filing by a defendant can be a daunting prospect. But plaintiffs with high-value claims who approach the process strategically can achieve a strong recovery. Amy Geise of Omni Bridgeway explains.

May 27, 2021 Amy Geise

Updated: Judge Dismisses NRA Bankruptcy as “Not Filed In Good Faith”

A bankruptcy petition filed by the National Rifle Association in January was dismissed Tuesday afternoon by a federal bankruptcy judge who declared the controversial petition as having been filed in bad faith.

May 11, 2021 Allen Pusey