Funny thing... up until this morning, I'll bet few of you had ever heard of TXU. In these parts, they're the 800-pound gorilla of electric generation/distribution. (Their only local competition is a co-op called CoServ, who happens to push the juice to this house, but that's of no importance.)

One of the issues getting a lot of airtime (and print) in the DFW over the last few months has been TXU's plans to build a total of 11 coal-fired generating plants. Questionable on its face, considering the boom in natural gas drilling going on all over the Barnett Shale (a week doesn't go by without a new drill rig or two being erected within eyesight of my regular rounds).

Worse yet, especially in the eyes of the mayors of Dallas, Fort Worth, and a bunch of other cities downwind of the proposed sites, was Governor Rick "Goodhair" Perry's executive order to fast-track the state permitting process -- in essence, cutting out a huge chunk of the public comment procedure.

Here's the kicker: Last Wednesday, a state district judge ruled that Perry's order unconstitutionally exceeded his authority. Two days later, the buyout deal was all but official. Coincidence? I doubt it. Sure, the buyers were already lining things up... but the judge's ruling signaled that the plum was ripe for picking.

Here's some excellent background on the rest of the deal. Here's even more, from tonight's News Hour with Jim Lehrer (simulcast on KERA-FM, right after Marketplace). Imagine that... two of the biggest players in environmental activism invited to the bargaining table, reaching agreement with the new owners-apparent, then endorsing the deal!

Believe in it or not, like it or not: concern about carbon emission is already affecting the conduct of business -- very big business. Do I hear the capitalists among us acknowledging the forces of the free market?