BENGALURU: Texas’ power grid operator ousted chief executive Bill Magness on Wednesday, as the fallout continues from a deadly blackout last month that left residents without heat, power or water for days.
His departure followed fierce criticism by state lawmakers of the handling of the crisis by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), which has led one large electricity provider to seek bankruptcy and put several others near to it.
The mid-February storm temporarily knocked out up to half the state’s generating plants, triggering outages that killed dozens and pushed power prices to 10 times the normal rate.
“ERCOT’s decision to oust CEO Bill Magness signals accountability for the disaster that swept through our state two weeks ago,” Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said in a statement on Twitter.
“(This step) offers the opportunity for new leadership that can more efficiently prepare and direct our state’s resources when dangerous weather strikes,” he added.
Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, who on Monday called for the heads of ERCOT and the Public Utility Commission to resign, also welcomed the move.
The legislature now can begin “fixing what went wrong,” Patrick said.
ERCOT said in a statement cited by multiple media organizations that its board had directed that Magness be given a 60 days’ termination notice. The board would begin an immediate search for a new CEO.
Brad Jones, former head of New York’s power grid, is the leading candidate to replace Magness as ERCOT’s CEO, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the board’s thinking.
Magness was grilled for hours last week for leaving power prices at up to 450 times the usual rate after the threat to the state’s grid had ended.
Seven of ERCOT’s 15 directors have resigned in the last week and the head of the state’s Public Utility Commission, which supervised ERCOT, resigned on Monday.
The winter storm caused widespread blackouts across Texas, a state unaccustomed to extreme cold, knocking out power to more than 4 million people at its peak.
Texas power grid operator fires CEO after deadly blackouts
https://arab.news/6h9xk
Texas power grid operator fires CEO after deadly blackouts
- The mid-February storm temporarily knocked out up to half the state’s generating plants
King Abdulaziz Airport among world’s busiest after record-breaking 2025
RIYADH: King Abdulaziz International Airport has achieved a new historical milestone, reaching 53.4 million passengers in a single year.
This is the highest number ever recorded at a Saudi airport since the beginning of air travel in the Kingdom, placing it among the world’s mega airports in terms of passenger traffic, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
The airport handled a total of 310,000 flights and 60.4 million bags, representing a 12 percent increase compared to 2024. It also handled 9.57 million Zamzam water containers and 2,968 cargo flights.
This achievement reflects the airport’s qualitative transformation and its position as a regional hub and national gateway connecting the Kingdom to the world. It also highlights its role in facilitating the movement of visitors and pilgrims, promoting tourism in line with the goals of Vision 2030, diversifying the economy, and providing a distinguished travel experience.
For his part, CEO of Jeddah Airports Co. Mazen Johar, affirmed that reaching 53.4 million passengers confirms the airport’s high operational readiness and represents a pivotal milestone for moving to the next phase, in preparation for doubling this number, God willing, in the coming years.
He pointed out that this national achievement would not have been possible without the grace of God Almighty, followed by the directives of the wise leadership and the continuous follow-up from the minister of transport and logistics, the president of the General Authority of Civil Aviation, and the CEO of Airports Holding Co.
He explained that King Abdulaziz International Airport is strengthening its position as a major aviation hub in the region through expansions, increased capacity, and improved services, supporting the objectives of the aviation program and aligning with the goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
The CEO of Jeddah Airports Co. expressed his gratitude to the partners in success from various government and private sectors for their fruitful cooperation through a collaborative work system that contributed to providing the best services.
