The Lone Star State may have another long, difficult winter.
The North American Electric Reliability Corporation warned that Texas is in danger of widespread power failures if extreme weather strikes this season, after the state was devastated by severe storms earlier this year.
The greatest risk remains with Texas, which is projected to fall 37% short of providing the total energy needed in the case of a storm.
Millions of Texans were without electricity and clean water for days after historic February storms brought freezing temperatures, snow, and ice, and the state continues to grapple with the aftermath. The Biden Administration declared a national disaster in the state because of the weather that killed more than 200 people and caused more than $50 billion in damages.
Many residents were saddled with high electric bills because their plans were tied to wholesale rates, causing them to pay up to $1,000 a day.
Mark Olson, NERC's manager of reliability assessments, said in a press statement that Winter Storm Uri highlighted the vulnerabilities of our electricity and natural gas systems. The industry has taken major steps to prepare for extreme weather this winter, but our existing generation fleet and fuel infrastructure remain exposed in many areas.
Power companies should take proactive measures to prepare for extreme winter weather, such as conducting drills, polling generators for fuel and availability status, and implementing emergency operating plans.
"To be resilient in extreme weather, we are counting on our grid operators to monitor the generation fleet, adjust operating plans and keep the lines of communication open," said the press statement.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas plans to inspect 300 power plants in December in order to prevent power outages.
"To see what could happen under extreme cases in ERCOT is very disappointing and something that we need to see how we can fix it," said John Moura, NERC's director of reliability assessment.
