Winter Storm Uri brutally highlighted the flaws in the power system in the state of Texas which some claim have developed an electric power system that does not prioritize infrastructure resilience. Texas is a state well renowned for having some of the lowest power prices in the U.S. Additionally, the low price of energy and minimal regulations have contributed to the tragic events unfolding and experts claim the power grid in Texas was “seconds and minutes” away from a catastrophic failure that could have led to months of blackouts.
Millions of customers in the state have been left without power as the harsh winter storm hit the area, with the death toll as a result of the winter storm continuing to rise. Utility-scale wind power and coal plants all tripped offline due to the extreme cold brought by the winter storm, slashing energy output as freezing customers increased demand for heat.