The Lege This Week: Out Cold
As disaster unfolded across Texas, state lawmakers were quick to blame the state’s grid operator and the public utility commission. But the Legislature will face a reckoning of its own.
Blue Gibbons, left, and his mother, Heather Gibbons, right, walk along State Highway 249 Monday, February 15 in Tomball, Texas. Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle via AP
As disaster unfolded across Texas, state lawmakers were quick to blame the state’s grid operator and the public utility commission. But the Legislature will face a reckoning of its own.
Blue Gibbons, left, and his mother, Heather Gibbons, right, walk along State Highway 249 Monday, February 15 in Tomball, Texas. Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle via AP
Texas made few power reforms despite warnings. ‘An incredibly dangerous situation’ By Mark Dent, Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Published: February 19, 2021, 6:45pm
Share: A winter storm that brought snow, ice, and plunging temperatures across Central Texas shut down roads and caused the electrical grid to shut down, leaving thousands of people without power. (Ricardo B. Brazziell/American-Statesman/TNS)
FORT WORTH, Texas Over a couple frigid days in February, as demand for power soared, generators across Texas tripped up and failed to operate in wintry conditions. Long outages ensued across the state, and millions of Texans were left without power. Even more wondered how something like this could happen here. “You would have never thought you would see the day in the energy capital of the world,” said one oil company CEO.
On February 16, 2021, in response to the extreme cold weather events resulting in significant power outages affecting millions of electricity customers throughout the Midwest and South.
World Insights: Why can severe weather bring massive blackout to U S energy capital - World News sina.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from sina.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Gov. Greg Abbott and several lawmakers have repeatedly said they don’t feel ERCOT officials adequately warned the public about the potential for extended blackouts.