Public Utility Commission chair in U.S. Texas resigns amid power outage criticism

Vehicles move on a snow-capped road in Houston, Texas, the United States, on Feb. 15, 2021. (Photo by Chengyue Lao/Xinhua)

HOUSTON, March 1 (Xinhua) -- The chairwoman of the Public Utility Commission (PUC) of U.S. Texas, the agency that regulates the state's electric, telecommunications, and water and sewer utilities, resigned Monday, according to local media report.

The Texas Tribune reported that DeAnn Walker, chairwoman of the commission, provided a resignation letter to the media.

On Monday, Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick called for DeAnn Walker and Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) CEO Bill Magness to resign.

Appointed by Texas Governor Greg Abbott, PUC is charged with overseeing ERCOT, a nonprofit entity that manages and operates the electricity grid covering most of the state.

The two organizations came under public criticism in the aftermath of Texas' power crisis that left millions of people in the dark for days and claimed dozens of lives.

State lawmakers began to call on the commissioners to resign Thursday after hearing testimony from Walker, who took little responsibility for the crisis hearings on the power outages.

During her testimony to lawmakers, Walker largely deflected blame to ERCOT and Magness, who testified in front of state senators on Thursday before Walker did.