DeAnn T. Walker, the chairwoman of the Public Utility Commission of Texas, had been caught in a tide of fury that swelled after millions were left without power.
Tag Archives: Power Failures and Blackouts
Texas After the Storm
Even as the cold has lifted and the ice has melted, the true depth of the devastation remains hidden. We look at the aftermath of the storm through the eyes of three women.
China Appears to Warn India: Push Too Hard and the Lights Could Go Out
As border skirmishing increased last year, malware began to flow into the Indian electric grid, a new study shows, and a blackout hit Mumbai. It now looks like a warning.
Texans Demand Answers as They Grapple With Storm’s Lingering Wrath
After millions lost power during a winter storm, lawmakers have held marathon hearings, prosecutors have started criminal investigations and residents have asked for accountability.
Residents of a Texas Border City Long Felt Overlooked. The Storm Made It Worse.
Del Rio residents, searching for fresh food and water, said that government aid has been sparse. “When they’re running for office is when we see them,” one man said of politicians.
ERCOT Managers Resign After Widespread Storm Outages
The chairwoman and three other board members of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas stepped down after millions were left without electricity during freezing temperatures.
Having Won Syria’s War, al-Assad Is Mired in Economic Woes
After a decade of war, the biggest threat now to President Bashar al-Assad is an economic crisis. But at a recent meeting, he had no concrete solutions to his country’s extreme distress.
Texans Needed Food and Comfort After a Brutal Storm. As Usual, They Found It at H-E-B.
As state government flounders, has a beloved grocery store chain become “the moral center of Texas”?
Storm Victims Didn’t Bring It on Themselves
Disasters call for compassion and action, not sniping on social media.
What a Texas Plumber Faces Now: A State Full of Burst Pipes
Since a winter storm and hard freeze swept through the state last week, knocking out power and heat, homeowners have swamped plumbers with urgent repair calls.
Texas Power Grid Run by ERCOT Set Up the State for Disaster
Texas has refused to join interstate electrical grids and railed against energy regulation. Now it’s having to answer to millions of residents who were left without power in last week’s snowstorm.
His Lights Stayed on During Texas’ Storm. Now He Owes $16,752.
After a public outcry from people like Scott Willoughby, whose exorbitant electric bill is soon due, Gov. Greg Abbott said lawmakers should ensure Texans “do not get stuck with skyrocketing energy bills” caused by the storm.
Texas Winter Storm: What to Know
Power outages and no running water have left Texas and other parts of the South still feeling the effects of a deep freeze that swept the region earlier this week.
Texas Crisis Exposes a Nation’s Vulnerability to Climate Change
Continent-spanning storms triggered blackouts in Oklahoma and Mississippi, halted one third of U.S. oil production and disrupted vaccinations in 20 states.
Extreme Cold Killed Texans in Their Bedrooms, Vehicles and Backyards
At least 58 people died in storm-affected areas stretching to Ohio, victims of carbon monoxide poisoning, car crashes, drownings, house fires and hypothermia.
Ted Cruz Is Going to the Dogs
What’s worse than an Irish setter on the roof?
Texas Hospitals Hard Hit by Covid Struggle Without Power and Water
The state’s power failure has plunged some hospitals into crisis, even as they are still reeling from the coronavirus pandemic.
Texas Water Crisis: Frozen Pipes, Cracked Wells and Offline Treatment Plants
Electricity was restored to most Texans who had lost power after a winter storm, but water systems for nearly two-thirds of residents were disrupted, leaving millions without drinkable water.
Mexico Cries Foul at Natural Gas Cutoff Ordered by Texas Governor
Amid his own push for Mexican energy sovereignty, President López Obrador said he was trying to stop a measure by Texas to restrict gas exports as both sides of the border suffered mass outages.
Ted Cruz’s Trip to Cancún Draws Fire Amid Texas’ Deep Freeze
The Texas senator faced fierce blowback for fleeing his state as a disaster unfolded. Text messages sent by his wife revealed a hastily planned trip away from their “FREEZING” family home.
Texas, Land of Wind and Lies
When post-truth politics meets energy policy.
Texas Storms, California Heat Waves and ‘Vulnerable’ Utilities
Power failures have cast a spotlight on whether energy companies and regulators are doing enough to prepare for climate change and natural disasters.
Senator Ted Cruz left Texas for Cancún as the state was battered by a brutal winter storm.
Photos of Mr. Cruz and his wife boarding a flight from Houston to Cancún, Mexico, sparked a fierce outcry on social media late Wednesday.
How to Prevent the Next Texas Power Breakdown
The state’s massive blackouts are the result of a failure to insure against extreme weather.
Texas Grid Failure Stirs Feud Between Cities and State
As the state reels from power outages, Democrats look to turn the tables on the Republicans who dominate state government.
Desperate for Light and Warmth, Texans See No End for Winter Storm
In central Texas, where many roads have already been impassible for days, another barrage of sleet and snow was expected late into Wednesday evening.
Texas Could Have Kept the Lights On
Republicans are blaming renewable energy, when it’s the state’s powerful utilities that failed to prepare for the worst.
Store in Oregon That Threw Out Food Is Confronted by Angry Activists
The police responded to a Fred Meyer grocery store in Portland that had tossed its refrigerated food after a winter storm knocked out power throughout the city, infuriating residents.
No, Wind Farms Aren’t the Main Cause of the Texas Blackouts
The state’s widespread electricity failure was largely caused by freezing natural gas pipelines. That didn’t stop advocates for fossil fuels from trying to shift blame.
Texas Blackouts Hit Minority Neighborhoods Especially Hard
As the freak winter storm raged, historically marginalized communities were among the first to face power outages, experts say.
The Daily: Climate Change and the Texas Blackouts
One of the worst winter storms in years has plunged large parts of the United States into a deadly energy crisis. It may be a glimpse of America’s future.
Texas Winter Storm Leads to Power Outages and Angry Residents
“I’m kind of angry,” said one man whose family has been without power since Monday. A winter storm caused physical damage to the electrical grid’s infrastructure as well as a surge in demand.
Winter Storm Disrupts Automakers, Retailers and Delivery Services
Power outages, natural gas shortages and icy conditions made it hard for automakers, retailers and delivery carriers to operate across much of the South and Midwest.
A Glimpse of the Future in Texas: Climate Change Means Trouble for Power Grids
Systems are designed to handle spikes in demand, but the wild and unpredictable weather linked to global warming will very likely push grids beyond their limits.
Icy Storm Barrels Across Central U.S., Leaving Millions Without Power
The snowstorm covered a huge part of the country, including states unaccustomed to slick roads and a deep freeze.
Scenes From a Record-Setting Winter Storm
The coast-to-coast storm brought heavy snow and frigid temperatures as well as prompted rolling blackouts.
At Least 120 Million Americans Bracing for Coast-to-Coast Storm
Widespread winter storm warnings or advisories were posted on Sunday as low temperatures, heavy snow and ice threatened huge swaths of the country.
Winter Storms Pummel U.S. With Snow, Ice and Extreme Cold
The harsh weather was a prelude to another winter storm that is expected to bring more snow, sleet and freezing rain to over 100 million Americans over the next several days.
Much of Pakistan Loses Power in Massive Blackout
Pakistani news sites said almost the entire country of more than 200 million was without power.
Christmas Eve Brings Blizzard Warnings for Midwest
Forecasters predict blizzards in the Midwest. Freezing temperatures in the South. Flooding and power outages in the Northeast. And maybe tornadoes in Florida.
Citing Coal Shortages, China Rations Electricity for Millions
Warning of coal shortages, officials are trying to curb energy usage by telling residents not to use electric stoves and extinguishing lights on building facades and billboards.
Nor’easter Knocks Out Power to More Than 200,000 in New England
More than 110,000 customers in Maine alone lost electricity after a nor’easter brought high winds and heavy snow.
Tropical Storm Eta Causes Flooding in South Florida
Some areas saw more than 13 inches of rainfall, and there was a storm surge along the coast.
Oklahoma Ice Storms Leave Thousands Without Power on Eve of Early Voting
Tree limbs are breaking under the weight of an unseasonable ice storm, downing power lines and cutting off electricity to nearly 375,000 households and businesses across the state.
California Fires Prompt Evacuation of Thousands
About 60,000 people were affected by evacuation orders near Irvine, Calif., the authorities said, as the state prepared for strong winds that risked new fires.
Citing Risk of Wildfires, Utility Plans to Cut Off Power to 50,000 in California
Pacific Gas and Electric said power would begin to be shut off Wednesday evening and might return Friday night.
PG&E Plans to Cut Off Power to 50,000 in California
Pacific Gas and Electric said power would begin to be shut off Wednesday evening and might return Friday night.
Climate Change and Poor Planning Blamed for California Blackouts
Grid managers ordered rolling blackouts across the state during a heat wave in August for the first time in two decades.
Its Electric Grid Under Strain, California Turns to Batteries
When demand exceeded supply in a recent heat wave, electricity stored at businesses and even homes was called into service. With proper management, batteries could have made up for an offline gas plant.
Trump Visits Storm-Ravaged Lake Charles, a Louisiana City Still Without Power
President Trump met with state and local officials in Louisiana after Hurricane Laura devastated the region. Many people still have no electricity or running water.