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A person carries a bucket of firewood in South Austin during the winter storm in February 2021. Millions of Texans lost power in the storm. Lee esta historia en español The electricity went out at the home of the Shah family in Northwest Austin during the massive blackout that gripped the state in February 2021. The Shahs felt better off than many Texans. Their gas fireplace continued working, and they stayed warm sitting around it under blankets. Then the family matriarch, 85-year-old Manjula, started showing signs of distress. Her children called an ambulance, but she succumbed to hypothermia at the hospital. She was one of the 241 peoplewhose deaths the state says was linked to the historic winter storm and blackouts. “The other day I woke up and, of course, started thinking of my mom,” Manjula’s daughter, Minal Shah, told KUT this week. “You question yourself. What could you have done more? Did I do enough? It leaves its mark on you.” Since the blackout, Shah says everyone in her neighborhood is better prepared for emergencies. Many have bought home generators. Still, they get nervous when a winter storm comes in. “It’s just a little anxiety that, you know, hopefully the power doesn’t go

In May 2024, Texas set a daily power consumption record for the month six times. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) anticipates that this trend will continue, with predictions of above-normal temperatures and potentially below-normal rainfall straining the state’s power grid as residents and businesses crank up their air conditioning. With a rapidly growing population and economy, it is vital that Texas remains powered. To keep the state’s electric grid running smoothly, ERCOT forecasts demand to ensure there are no disruptions or shortages in electric supply. However, forecasting energy demand is as complicated as it is essential. Grid operators use variables from numerous sources and, even so, revisions are necessary. From artificial intelligence to electric vehicles, business growth and power-hungry tech applications are driving up energy demand, making accurate forecasting crucial. This article delves into the intricacies of demand projections, including recent changes in ERCOT’s planning methods and the various factors that Texas’ electric grid operators must account for in real time. Forecasting Factors ERCOT functions independently from other U.S. grids and is therefore not subject to the same federal regulations. ERCOT’s grid operators are vigilant in their work to balance supply and demand because when the power goes off to

Repairing electricity infrastructure after storms usually costs customers. So could strengthening it before the next weather event. Sign up for The Brief, The Texas Tribune’s daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news. It’s become a familiar cycle: A powerful storm sweeps through a swath of Texas and takes the electric system down in its grip. Trees might bend and topple, crashing down onto a power pole. Sometimes the weight of ice pulls branches onto electric lines. Other times wind makes a wire spark, and that ember ignites a destructive blaze. Thousands of Texans then sit in the dark for days — in either the blistering heat or frigid cold — waiting for utility crews to survey and fix the damage so electricity can start flowing again. Such power outages are likely to continue. That’s because the massive network of equipment that moves electricity across the state and then to individual Texas homes and businesses is unprepared for the severe weather expected in years ahead, experts say. Making it more resilient will require utilities to invest money to strengthen the system over time. Texas had 210 weather-related power outages — more than any other

Two years ago this week, Texans woke up to something many had never seen before: snow. It was not the annual heavy frost or light dusting. It was honest-to-God snow. A thick blanket of it, inches deep, had covered everything while we slept.And, for millions, the power was out. These two facts competed for our attention. For my Texas family, and many others, power outages are more common than snow storms. In this case, it seemed, the state power grid had to conserve electricity because of the storm, and we had been cut off as part of those measures. I figured the lights would return by nightfall. This story comes to us from KUT in Austin, Texas. Your support of KUT and the NPR Network makes all kinds of local journalism possible. Donate here. The power did not come back. We spent that first freezing night bundled together in my kids’ room. The next morning, on the drive to the hotel that the station had found for us, the full scope of the crisis started coming into focus. Click through to keep reading at KUT.org