Feds say tougher rules needed to protect Texas power plants

By DAVID KOENIG
AP Business Writer

DALLAS (AP) — Federal officials have made more than two dozen recommendations aimed at further safeguarding power plants and natural gas supplies to prevent a repeat of the February blackouts that caused more than 200 deaths in Texas. Staff at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the North American Reliability Corp. made their recommendations Thursday to FERC’s four commissioners while presenting a preliminary report on the February disaster, which left millions without power during subfreezing temperatures. Among other things, they recommend that power providers be required to meet tougher standards for protecting their plants from freezing temperatures and that they should be able to seek compensation for the cost of winterizing them. The final report is expected before winter.