Will the North Texas deep freeze cause power outages? Here’s what you should know.
With temperatures expected to plunge over President’s Day weekend — as cold as 0 in parts of Fort Worth on Monday — the state’s top utility commissioner expressed concern Friday about the possibility of overworking Texas’ power grid.
During a meeting of the Texas Public Utility Commission, which oversees utilities and the power grid, in Austin on Friday, chairwoman DeAnn Walker said officials are concerned about whether the state will have enough electricity to meet demand during the cold snap.
Walker didn’t outright predict Texas would have rolling blackouts, but she hinted at the possibility, especially on Monday and Tuesday. She told fellow commissioners some of the state’s wind turbines had frozen.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, the agency that manages the flow of electricity across the state, also was expecting “very high usage” Monday, said spokeswoman Leslie Sopko. The agency currently anticipates being able to handle the surge, she said, noting that rolling blackouts would be the last option.
“At this time, we’re not asking consumers to do anything, and we have not declared any type of energy emergency,” she said.
Although power outages in Texas are more commonly associated with extremely hot weather in the summer, it’s not unprecedented for winter weather to cause brownouts and blackouts, too. In February 2011, the state experienced rolling blackouts during a week of historically cold and icy weather.
North Texas could see freezing drizzle with low temperatures in the single digits Saturday and possibly 2 to 4 inches of snow Sunday.
“I spent about the last 24 hours working with people on these issues. It’s going to be a really tight weekend. It’s going to be particularly tight on Monday and Tuesday,” Walker told the utility commission.
“We’re working already to try to ensure we have enough power, but it’s taking a lot of coordination,” she said later.
Grant Cruise, an Oncor spokesman, said the state should have enough power to handle a surge in use over the weekend.
Power outages can also occur if lines are down. That often happens when trees, weighted down with ice, fall into power lines or when vehicles crash into poles, Cruise said, adding that people should avoid icy roadways.
North Texas residents experiencing a power outage have several options for reporting issues. Reports can be made and tracked through the MyOncor smart phone app. Customers can also call 888-313-4747 or text “Out” to 66267.
Cruise said people should prepare a cold weather kit that includes blankets, water, canned food, flash lights, a battery-powered radio and extra batteries. Generators should be used only outside and away from windows. The federal government advises people to not use a gas stove or oven to heat your home and be mindful of flammable material
“We also want to remind people to check on their neighbors, especially senior citizens and those with medical conditions,” he said.
This story was originally published February 12, 2021 at 12:23 PM.
