It would be hard not to see all the news alerts about Texas right now. If it is not in all the major newspapers it’s flooding your social media pages with hashtags, such as #PrayForTexas. This dire situation can be broken down into what happened, why it happened, and what comes next.
Beginning Sunday night into Monday, a winter storm swept across the entire state of Texas shutting down their power grid. Residents were told that the power outage would last just thirty minutes; however, many families continue to be without power nearing the end of the week. Thus, households have been left completely unprepared to deal with the lack of electricity, heat, and running water which has persisted for days. Millions of people have been affected by this unanticipated storm, which has taken the lives of twenty-four people since Tuesday afternoon. The implications of this have also extended into concerns over the state’s food supply.
So, what makes this situation especially unique?
Texas does not get its energy from other states, opting to source its power independently, particularly during the winter months. While the state makes use of a number of different energy sources, demand is low in the winter. Contrastly, in the summer, the state is more prepared for a higher demand for energy, as residents utilize air conditioning to help combat the heat. As a consequence of the abrupt winter weather, the demand skyrocketed as many people suddenly had a desperate need for heat. In addition, the storm also impeded energy production, causing windmills to freeze and slowing down natural gas production. Another factor in this situation is that Texas energy is deregulated, meaning citizens are free to decide which energy company to use. As a result of this, there is a lot of competition, so consumers can pay very little for their energy provider. Yet, this deregulation has prevented the state from having a specific number of mandatory backup grid reserves.
Additionally, there has been a call to revise the Electric Reliability Council of Texas and talks that the state might have to interweave its energy sources with other states. While the state was aware that temperatures can drop fairly low, as they have most recently seen in 2011 and 2018, the effects of global warming are palpable in this scenario. These temperature extremes are becoming more and more common and with the dwindling strength of the Arctic’s jet stream, this could continue to contribute to harsher winters in the South.
Ways to help out:
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Send necessities such as food, water, and clothing to the Salvation Army
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Donate to Mutual Aid Funds, such as Austin Mutual Aid, Feed The People Dallas, and Mutual Aid Houston
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Donate to Food Banks, such as EaterAustin and EaterHouston