How a Texas electric co-op rebuilt for reliability | Sponsored content from Rayburn Electric

About this episode

The episode discusses how Rayburn Electric adapted its strategies for reliability following the lessons learned from Winter Storm Uri.

As Texas battles another bout of bitterly cold weather, Energy Gang looks at the lessons that one generation and transmission electric co-operative learned from Winter Storm Uri in 2021. The freeze and subsequent shock to energy prices showed providers how dangerous it can be to rely on the market alone. For Rayburn Electric, a not-for-profit, member-owned cooperative, incurring years of power costs in just days was a catalyst for a fundamental reset of its approach to risk and resilience. Host Ed Crooks is joined by Rayburn’s President & CEO David Naylor, and General Counsel Chris Anderson, to hear the story of how they rethought how the co-op could best serve its members, and implemented its new strategy. The crucial steps included a first-of-its-kind securitization for a co-op, to spread costs over decades, and a strategic pivot toward owning generation as a natural hedge for its electricity sales. The co-op bought a power plant, now called the Rayburn Energy Station, and has RES 2 in the works, to meet reliability needs amid rapid load growth. David and Chris share what changedinside the organization too, driven by the…

People in this episode

Host: Ed Crooks

Guests: David Naylor, Chris Anderson

Topics covered

• electric co-operatives
• energy reliability
• risk management
• Texas energy market
• Winter Storm Uri
• power generation
• sustainability

Keywords

• Texas
• Rayburn Electric
• Winter Storm Uri
• energy prices
• reliability
• power generation
• risk management
• electric co-op
• ERCOT

Sponsors

Rayburn Electric

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Rayburn Electric, ERCOT

Places: Texas

More episodes of Energy Gang

• How AI is changing the natural gas industry · June 12, 2026 · 44 min
• The Iran war and the energy transition: what happens when the world is focused on supply security, not emissions · June 9, 2026 · 49 min
• It is too hard to build things in America: Can permitting reform begin a new era for energy investment? · May 25, 2026 · 1h 1m
• How US utilities are adapting to a high-growth world for power demand. The head of America's largest electricity industry group explains the critical role played by regulators · May 19, 2026 · 48 min
• Stress test: the Iran war and a US grid under pressure | Live from the ACORE Finance Forum, Day two · May 14, 2026 · 1h 33m
• Data, power and dollars: financing the AI energy boom | live from the ACORE finance forum in New York · May 13, 2026 · 1h 17m