3 Things Texas Could Have Done to Avoid the Whole Power Grid Fiasco
graphic by jenny katz
For the SU students from Texas, it’s disheartening to know they cannot rely on state officials to keep their families safe. Last month, Texas was hit by record-low temperatures and an unusual amount of snow and ice that caused the state’s electric grid to lose control of the power, leaving millions without electricity and drinkable water. While it is harsh to say the generally warm state could have anticipated such harrowing weather conditions, there are a few things the state could have done better to avoid such chaos.
Be Prepared
The source of the blackouts was the state's power plants’ inability to handle such terrible weather conditions. It was not clean energy. It was not the federal government. It was the lack of preparation from the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, the state’s electric grid operator, for these extreme events.
The state has little excuse for this lack of preparation. Texas was warned in 2011 by federal agencies to “winterize” their power infrastructure after the state experienced a similar storm and blackout. The state did not require this process to be carried out on power plants or gas equipment that year, or any time since, pulling a “The cold never bothered us anyway.”
Not only should the state have made the necessary investments to prevent their power sources from freezing again, but officials also should’ve checked the weather in advance. During the last meeting before the winter storm, top officials at ERCOT spent a productive 40 seconds discussing the incoming storm and how prepared the state was. We don’t know the logistics of these meetings, but we do know 40 seconds isn’t enough, in any context.
Take Scientists Seriously When They Say “Winter is Coming”
We’d like to believe that Texas lawmakers have all taken at least an elementary science course. This is why we’re disappointed by their willingness to ignore warnings by top climate scientists. In 2018, the Fourth National Climate Assessment warned that Texas will face strains on electric grids, hurricanes, and worse natural disasters. However, Texas still has no climate policy and agencies have a history of refusing to mention it in their reports. If Texas lawmakers took scientists’ warnings seriously, they would understand the lengths necessary to prepare for extreme weather conditions and know how these changes will impact their infrastructure. The scientists have every right to scream “I TOLD YOU SO.”
Elect Leaders Who Know How to Do Their Job
The blackout is attributed to ERCOT. But in a crisis, citizens need correct responses from their leaders. That’s not what they received. Instead, Governor Abbott pushed the false narrative, that wind energy and the Green New Deal caused the blackout. All it takes is one search on Google to know that only about a third of the power lost on the state’s grid was from renewable energy. He would also know that the proposals in the Green New Deal would have prepared the state better for a storm like this.
Not only have politicians proved they know nothing about their state, but they have also shown that they cannot physically handle a crisis. Yes, Ted Cruz, we’re talking to you. Sorry that your vacation in Cancún was cut short. We’re not experts in politics, but we do know leaving the country during a time of crisis is a shitty idea. While the governor has now called for more preparation for the cold, it’s long overdue. Texas needs to take a long hard look at its lack of preparation and reflect on what it can do to protect its citizens in the future.