The Texas Blackout | Fault Lines

In the winter of 2021, a crushing storm took down Texas’s power grid.
Millions of people were plunged into darkness, left without heat or water. More than 150 Texans died, most from hypothermia.
Texas is the only state in the United States where the power grid is not under federal oversight. Scores of companies sell electricity in a lightly regulated open market - a system that collapsed under the weight of the storm.
Did years of deregulation and prioritising profits for industry lead to Texas’s power disaster?
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[@Dwayneff]

I was in a small Texas town, south of Houston, the night the Winter storm hit, we lost power and power stayed off for 4 days, my brother who lived out of town called and helped me and my family out, he is on a private power plant that never shut down during the storm which makes me think that that power plant is off the grid, so he and a small neighborhood never lost power. We stayed with him and weathered the storm. My heart broke for those who suffered through it...

[@foxylady9110]

Would be a good idea to buy gas heaters that run off a gas bottles for next winter so you’re prepared just in case it happens again.

[@alanrodriguez-lx3qv]

Buying cold weather sleeping bag helps prevent hypothermia.

[@foxylady9110]

@@toxqui11 That’s awful, I know it’s been hellish cold here in the UK, I’ve never know it to be this bad before all at a bad time when the cost of heating has gone through the roof…

[@petittall557]

2 years later I can't even believe I survived this disaster. Thank God man and thoughts for those who missed it!

[@nathanngumi8467]

It is grossly unfair that natural gas suppliers are exempt from winterising their facilities yet the freezing of natural gas in pipelines and tanks is what prevented the fiasco from being tamed before it escalated into tragedy. Winterizing should apply equally to power and oil&gas. At the same time resilience should now be a priority for the State. Microgrids in residential areas can help with this. The Valentine's Day storm was a black swan, but with climate change it is likely to repeat itself many times in Texas and elsewhere in the future. It will be criminal if they are caught flat-footed again!

[@pacthesir]

Me and my whole family survived, all I can do is thank the lord for he is the one who saved us. We had nothing! No power generator, no phone, only our blankets... and that was still pretty cold...

[@anonymousanonymous1997]

American 🇺🇸 capitalism at its finest 🤦🏽‍♂️🤦🏾.

[@timothyross7822]

... and now the heat disaster. Oh crazy Texas gov't, the people need to vote you out! Put folks in that give a s%3t about people, not profits!

[@louieburkhart2141]

We live in Corpus and when our power went off that was it, our power came back on 8 days later. We could not afford a generator but thank God we had a camp stove so we lived on coffee and canned soup. I want to leave this state but can't afford to move. God please help the people in tx, gov officials need to go straight to H ll for letting this happen.

[@heathwirt8919]

Privatizing the electrical grid resulted in high costs and lower reliability. Profits and political kickbacks increased. Free market Texas style.

[@brandonarmstrong2656]

This is what happens when people in my state vote and stupid people like Greg Abbott and Ted Cruz, who just so happened to flea during the storm

[@charlescanzater]

They have voted back the same government officials and refuse to do anything different ? Money for the top corporate and political leaders is what counts in Texas ! You get what you vote for ! 🤗

[@leiag201]

I wonder how many people learned to become a prepper after this?

[@ashleyb2389]

Considering there was not enough natural gas to meet demand, stocking up on blankets does little when your indoor temperature is -2, but thank you for your wonderful comment.

[@tex_gil117]

​@ashleyb2389 respectfully I beg to differ. When the power went out here in Hill country Texas, I used my woodstove, propane heaters, and backup generators. Its hard to use a woodstove without wood, and lots of it. Thankfully I had two cords. Thats an insane amount of firewood for Texas but my neighbors were thankful because I was glad to share. Being a "prepper" I had literally anything and everything I needed. Our house was literally 81 degrees inside and I still went to work everyday at the hospital. The answer to the question of how many people are gonna learn from that freeze, is very little. I'm so saddened to say that and by the people that lost their loved ones to that storm; but when our lives depend on it, we can't rely on the government. We all have to take a bit of responsibility for ourselves, especially if we have loved ones.

[@postersm7141]

@@tex_gil117so true

[@sclad9053]

and americans keep saying they are the champions? Grow up, you dont care about your own citizens

[@theoutlook55]

As someone from Texas, please know the following... We actually have a very good electrical system but there's no doubt that regulations are pro-business, but I also know that a lack of weatherization is a problem in many parts of the United States, not just in Texas. Also, while I am no right-winger, I'm dead set against forcing or even encouraging Texas to be part of the FERC federal regulatory scheme. I like that our electrical grid is separate and independent. Also, anyone who said that renewables were primarily to blame or thst gas-fired plants were to blame is shutting one eye and pretending they are not half-blind. There was a combination of factors that led to the terrible winter storm that I remember I had to deal with. Enough said.

[@Superb_Legend]

Exactly most these idiots think socialism is a better because of a freak record storm.

[@getlostyougoofball]

@@Superb_Legend well, capitalism failed in this instance, and don't be surprised if more "freak" storms come through. Also, what happens when temperatures reach record highs and the grid becomes stressed to the point like it was during the winter?

[@Superb_Legend]

@@getlostyougoofball I think you shouldn't hinge a whole system off a 2 years long virus side effect and a record snow storm in texas a place where most Texans say it never snows

[@theelysian1172]

@@Superb_Legend I think she should hinge on the "freak" storm that devastated Texas. Given that vlimate change is real and it was just the beginning of worse disasters to come. Our use of fossil fuels has greatly affected our climate and we are now paying the price. I feel you have good intentions in your heart but Don look with one eye closed and say you see the whole picture. Our systems by and large are a failure of our efforts to mitigate the cisis' we now face. Again I believe your hearts in the right place but cast doubt where it should be cast.

[@Superb_Legend]

@@theelysian1172 I believe the severity of climate change is to scare ppl like they've done with this virus and the 80 years of failed predictions of these climate specialist

[@EpicureanGemini]

America is a big corporation Not a democratic country.

[@skateata1]

I can't believe the government let this happen after 2011.

[@thehkman]

Heat wave coming.....

[@brianlove8353]

Richest country in the world What a joke

[@colnagocowboy]

Members of my family were volunteers firefighters. Sleep was not an option for them.

[@Tammissa]

Many people are at fault, but how about focusing on never letting this happen again.

[@Dwayneff]

think of it this way, I'm a Texan as well, I went through it right along with all other Texans, our leaders DO NOT CARE, as long as they can stand to profit, that is all they care about, I truly believe that another winter storm is going to hit us and we will NOT be prepared for it.

[@RasPutintheGreat]

Greed.

[@PK.Civil.Servant]

US should focus on building good lives of their own citizens before aiding israel Corporates rule the country not the representatives

[@jessepferr2814]

Muhammad was a pedophile

[@debbied9740]

They could have bought power for a few days gezzzzzz

[@jordapen]

The system wasn't winterised because the climatoligists told the government back in 2011 that it was going to be hot and dry from then on. Texas went on to have the wettest years on record. In early 2011 they had a big freeze up, althoguh not as severe as 2021. The government scrapped a winterisation plan for the grid on the recomendation of the climatoligists.

[@Dwayneff]

I know without a doubt, that we will have another big winter, hard freeze, it's only a matter of time. Then we will be back to square one again.

[@cynthiarothrock4255]

The money that should have been spent on weatherization went into dirty pockets instead.

[@bushramduti]

Climatologist never said its gonna be just hot and arid. Rather extremes will be more extreme. More rain. More snow. More heat in summer. Just more of Everything. When all water melts down in summer from ice caps eventually, making more clouds and rains in winter, in few years, there will be perpetual drought. Soils are getting low moisture every year

[@jordapen]

@Bushra M Duti For example, in 2011, the climatogists told the Texas government that it would be hot and dry from now on and even drought till 2020. The government scrapped their plan to require power plants to winterize because of it. Texas went on to have the wettest years on record, and then they had the third worst winter storm on record that knocked out the power grid, killing over 100 people in 2021. All things are not getting more extreme. The IPCC says their is no trend in North Atlantic hurricanes.

[@bushramduti]

@@jordapen this is a bomb cyclone. Not hurricane. Also you can read about extremes going more extremes. There are studies about it

[@jarrodyuki7081]

no child policy for those below poverty and one child policy for those below median income.

[@getlostyougoofball]

Huh? We adopting Chinese social legislative measures now?

[@wumaobot]

I'm worried about their ambitious plan called "Green Infrastructure"

[@Madame702]

Too late people are gong build home that are more energy independent.

[@cynthiarothrock4255]

It's to collapse the infrastructure and make the population broke. We are headed for 3ed world status at breaknecking speed.

[@subetai17]

How much does it cost to get a professional to narrate? The narrator sounds like he's talking over a potato in his mouth. Harder to understand than it needs to be.

[@thescotchirishman3373]

GOP grand cold party

[@Madame702]

Don't worry Patrick, the Government and the Utilities presidents don't realize they creating demand destruction. Your going see demand start to go down even in peak months in the coming years.

[@cathymorrison4953]

😭🧡🇨🇦

[@spellerlittlewing]

People are never prepared for nothing these are people you vote for yet everyone want electric-vehicles it will happen again

[@josephivan5094]

It's corruption not the electric cars. The rest of America is doing fine.are you trying to tell me Texans buy more electric cars than anyone else?

[@johnslugger]

Global warming sure is cold.

[@hagdore]

Yeah, the argument against global warming is strong because of cold conditions in one part of the world. Jesus H Christ. 🤦🤦

[@josephivan5094]

Well when you melt ice caps there's going to be a period of time when that cold water flows along the coast and cools things, but don't worry that will stop when there is no more ice.

[@gsftom]

Global warming….

[@paulasmithfx8455]

Cryptocurrency is the best thing that happened to this generation. Many are called but few are chosen. Be wise.

[@cynthiarothrock4255]

Cryptocurrency is a SCAM . Their is only FAKE VALUE in it. Not backed by real labor or material of any kind.

[@spellerlittlewing]

You folks need to live in North Dakota they know how to live below freezing temperatures I know I lived there

[@mollycox8039]

Spellerlittlewing, I grew up in south Texas and live here now. I lived threw that freeze living by myself. I melted icecicles to get water for my dogs because the water went out. Cell phone tower went down as well. I thank Georgetown Electrical service because I only had a few rolling blackouts. I was able to stay warm enough. For 17 years, I lived in Minnesota. I worked in construction. Homes in the north are built with basements and the plumbing is run up through the ground and protected inside the basement running up through the upstairs floors. I lived thru -30 degree temps regularly without even having to drip faucets to prevent freezing. I never had my electric go out that I remember. Homes are built for the cold and infrastructure is prepared for it as well. Texas homes are built on slabs and the pipes are not protected. Most of Texas is built on an ancient oceanic base that is now ROCK. Building a basement here would cost insane amounts of money and time. That has worked for so long, but we do need to do something about the power grid. Unfortunately we have horrible politicians at present who only care about limiting womens rights and are as far right MAGA as thy come. I want OUT of Texas because of them. I don't believe they will ever prepare for another week of freeze (or extreme heat). I am preparing now for it to happen again because I was a bit naive the first time. Eventually I will get out of this MAGA state. I WAS REPUBLICANS...NOT ANYMORE. THEY HAVE LOST THEIR MINDS

[@josephivan5094]

I have a feeling if the power was shut down there they would still have people freeze to death.

[@josephivan5094]

@@mollycox8039 also he in the north and south are built differently. I was a home inspector. Northern walls vapor barrier on the inner part of the wall southern vapor barrier just under the cladding. Not to mention all the things you previously noted.

[@sadabkhan4155]

Islaam

[@joeforns]

you cannot even spell right . I wander why hmmm oh i know because its easier to control you if your half starved and stupid right !

[@jakub8860]

«The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which GOD gave unto Him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: Who bare record of the word of GOD, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw. Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.» [(Apocalypse) Revelation Chapter 1:1-3]