Texas in the News Weekly Quiz March 8, 2021

Winter Storm Uri Fallout

The political fallout continues from winter storm Uri that plunged temperatures in the Lone Star State, left millions without power or water, and led to the death of more than a dozen Texans. In a state already gripped by a health pandemic, the loss of wages because of the winter storm has left many Texans struggling to make ends meet. Many Texans face surging energy bills because they signed up for variable rate plans which sent energy prices through the roof.

Lawmakers spent two days holding hearings (see Chapter 7) with officials from the Public Utilities Commission, the Energy Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT, who run the energy grid), and energy providers. Fingers pointed everywhere, including at those holding the hearings: “Some of the blame belongs right here in this building on every floor,” said Rep. Charlie Geren, Republican of Fort Worth. “There’s blame out there for everybody.”

The question is, how to reform Texas’s “one of a kind” energy grid to ensure this kind of crisis doesn’t happen again? Governor Abbott has made “winterizing” power plants an emergency priority. Lawmakers stress the need for better government oversight of ERCOT, especially through the Public Utilities Commission, and the need for better communication with the public. Experts have suggested addressing variable rate plans—if not eliminating them, limiting them and making the risks involved more clear to consumers.

Read these articles to find out more about problems and solutions to Texas’ winter storm crisis:

• They spent days talking about Texas’ power crisis. Now here’s what lawmakers must do.
• Texas was "seconds and minutes" away from catastrophic months long blackouts, officials say
• Texas' Power Grid Was 4 Minutes And 37 Seconds Away From Collapsing. Here's How It Happened.
• What Went Wrong With Texas’ Power Failure And How To Fix It
• Texas’s Power Market Is $1.3 Billion Short After Energy Crisis