Energy and Data Center Reporter

Hearst • Houston, TX

1d

About The Position

The Houston Chronicle is seeking an ambitious reporter for its Business desk to cover the intersection of energy, the electrical grid and the rapid expansion of data centers in Texas. The reporter will examine how unprecedented demand for power is transforming the state’s electric system, economy and communities.

The beat spans business, public policy, infrastructure and climate. Coverage will focus on how Texas’ electrical grid is adapting after the 2021 winter storm, how utilities and regulators are responding to growing demand, and how data center growth is reshaping energy planning across the state. The reporter will pursue accountability journalism, develop deep sources and break news, moving beyond corporate announcements to explain who benefits, who bears the costs, and how decisions by utilities, regulators, technology companies and elected officials affect Texans.

Requirements

• Approximately 5 years of relevant reporting experience.
• A track record of breaking news, cultivating sources and producing exclusive reporting.
• Ability to translate complicated technical and regulatory issues into compelling journalism for a broad audience.
• Curiosity about how industries, markets and government intersect, with the ability to identify overlooked stories.
• Comfort digging into public records, financial documents, regulatory filings and datasets.
• Ability to connect corporate and policy decisions to their real-world impact on people.

Nice To Haves

• Relevant reporting experience covering energy, business, infrastructure, government or another complex policy beat.

Responsibilities

• Cover Texas’ electrical grid, power markets and the growing demand for electricity driven by data centers and other large industrial users.
• Break exclusive news on utilities, grid operators, regulators, energy companies and technology firms.
• Develop deep sourcing across the energy industry, state agencies, utilities, lawmakers, environmental groups and major technology companies.
• Produce accountability journalism examining grid reliability, infrastructure investments, ratepayer impacts, regulatory decisions and resilience planning.
• Explain complex energy and technology issues clearly and accessibly, including how they affect readers’ daily lives.
• Use public records, regulatory filings, data analysis and investigative reporting techniques to uncover exclusive stories.
• Produce a mix of breaking news, scoops, utility content that explains complex topics, and longer-term accountability projects.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Education Level: No Education Listed