Texas Deemed Most At Risk For Winter Blackouts

Unfortunately, the Texas power grid is still vulnerable to winter blackouts. 

The grid has been at the top of everyone’s mind since the major winter storm hit Texas in February 2021. The crippling storm left nearly 10 million residents without power at its peak. 

So yeah, anxiety runs high among Texans whenever we’re headed for extreme cold or hot temperatures.

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The good news is that the grid operator, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), says the grid is better prepared to handle freezing temperatures and increased demand, according to Fox 4. 

However, it appears there’s still work to be done. A study by Utilities Now found Texas to be the state most at risk for winter blackouts. 

Researchers based their findings on factors such as average winter temperatures, blackout history, and power grid reliability. Here’s what they found: 

Overall Rank: 1 

Average Winter Temps: 58°F 

Total Number of Blackouts: 80 

Total Duration of Grid Interruptions: 56.0 hours 

Of course, that doesn’t mean we’re headed for widespread blackouts when the winter storm arrives this week. Unlike 2021, temperatures are expected to rise above freezing each day, which will help ease the strain on the grid. 

That said, prepare for the worst and hope for the best.