Texas grid resilience policy battles: transmission approval, data-center scrutiny, and Energy Fund implementation

ERCOT is surveying 461 data centers covering 362 Batch Zero projects and 191.8 GW of proposed load; verification will precede interconnection studies, with final audit results expected in December 2026. Texas Energy Fund materials add implementation detail on allocations, resilience grants outside ERCOT, the first project interconnection, and a December 2026 disbursement deadline. BTU's planned county drone inspections add routine reliability context but no new funding milestone.