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Nebraska produced more electricity than state residents used during last month s deep freeze, even as rolling blackouts shut off power across the state.
Nebraskaâs publicly owned utilities generated more power than their customers used during this weekâs brutal cold snap in the countryâs midsection.
But energy experts say the targeted rolling blackouts criticized by Gov. Pete Ricketts prevented Nebraska and other states from catastrophic failure of a shared electricity grid.
Those cuts, dictated by the Arkansas-based Southwest Power Pool, likely prevented Nebraskans from living the nightmare facing Texas, where millions went without power for days.
The World-Herald spoke with energy experts, utility leaders and others about what happened, why it happened and what might prevent a repeat occurrence.
Why did Nebraska have rolling blackouts?
Texas Shivers in Cold, Leaving Over 4 Million Without Power, 1 Dead
President Joe Biden declared an emergency on Monday, unlocking federal assistance to Texas, where temperatures ranged from 28 to minus 8 degrees Fahrenheit (-2 to -22 Celsius).
A sign warns motorists after a sudden heavy bout of snow and frozen rain on MS Highway 463 in Madison, north of Jackson, Mississippi, U.S. February 15, 2021. Barbara Gauntt/Clarion-Ledger/USA Today Network via REUTERS.
World17/Feb/2021
At least one person was dead and more than four million were without power in Texas after a rare deep freeze forced the stateâs electric grid operator to impose rotating blackouts because of higher power demand.