Two of the biggest hurdles are weatherizing power plants and ensuring a consistent natural gas supply during frigid temperatures, but the restrictions don’t adequately address these needed upgrades. However, according to some energy experts, new restrictions allow too much wiggle room, and some of the needed upgrades could take months or years to implement. “I signed almost a dozen laws that make the power grid more effective.” He is referring to multiple laws he signed that have an impact on the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT). “I can guarantee the lights will stay on,” Abbott told FOX 7 in Austin during Thanksgiving week. But, wasn't this situation corrected after the hard lesson in February 2021, wasn’t this situation corrected?Īs some energy experts are saying otherwise, Governor Greg Abbot is reassuring Texans. Some experts warn the same situation could repeat itself, especially with the right weather conditions. This concept is especially troublesome because climate change will likely bring more problems. This catastrophe highlights how the Texas utility grid is not resilient during extreme weather and the catastrophic impacts of being unprepared. For example, some used their vehicles in garages to stay warm, leading to carbon monoxide poisoning. Sadly, 151 people perished due to the storm itself, and Buzzfeed News estimates that hundreds of medically vulnerable people died from the power outage. In addition to widespread power outages, many Texans were left without safe drinking water and needed to boil the tap water or find bottled water. It was a perfect storm for widespread failures as the state’s grid nearly completely collapsed.
In addition, some coal, nuclear and wind power plants were also shuttered or were forced to decrease their output. Almost 40 percent of Texans heat their homes with natural gas and the remainder with electricity, so demand for the two skyrocketed with frigid temperatures.īut, about half of Texas’ power comes from natural gas, and the cold snap caused natural gas fields to close and pipelines to freeze, right as demand increased.
#Texas power outage series
In February, unseasonably cold temperatures, combined with a series of snow and ice storms hit Texas, creating a sharp increase in energy demand due to a heightened need for space heating.
Moreover, a cold snap or winter storm could leave the Texas grid vulnerable yet again. Remember the widespread power outages in Texas last February that left 4.5 million homes and businesses without power at their peak? Now, nearly a year later, some utility grid experts warn the same situation could repeat itself.
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