The head of Texas’ utility regulator has resigned following blackouts that left millions without power and water

The head of Texas’ utility regulator has resigned following blackouts that left millions without power and water

The head of the Texas Public Utility Commission (PUC) has resigned, after blackouts in February left millions of people across the state without access to power and clean drinking water for days.

The PUC said Monday that DeAnn Walker had resigned from the role, "effective immediately."

The PUC regulates the state's electric, telecommunication, and water and sewer utilities, including the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), a non-profit that operates 90% of the state's electric load. 

State lawmakers, including Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, had called for her resignation after she testified during a Texas Senate hearing last week that lasted almost 24 hours.

"I stand proud that I worked endless hours over the past two and a half weeks to return electric power to the grid," Walker wrote in her resignation letter, per The Wall Street Journal. She did not explicitly say why she was resigning.

"Despite the treatment I received from some legislators, I am proud that I spoke the truth."

A major winter storm that hit Texas on February 15 caused sources of electricity, like natural-gas plants, to go offline, while simultaneously increasing the demand for energy as people across the state turned on heaters to stay warm.

This caused a huge shortfall in