World

Texas Says Its Power Grid Is Strong. It’s About to Get Tested.

Like many Texans, Jarrett Milton has been getting ready for the blast of freezing weather expected in the coming days. The owner of two food trucks near downtown Houston, Mr. Milton has coats for his workers and a stock of propane, extra firewood and lots of food.

“You got a storm coming? Oh, let me go buy the place out,” he said. “Because unfortunately, in Texas, you just have to be prepared for the worst.”

Memories of the worst are still fresh in Texas: The punishing winter weather of February 2021 caused a spectacular failure of the electricity grid, leading to the deaths of more than 240 people, some frozen in their own beds.

Since then, officials and lawmakers in Austin have tried to improve the reliability of the grid, making operational changes and passing laws to prevent a similarly devastating failure of critical infrastructure during the cold.

We are having trouble retrieving the article content.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.


Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.


Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber? Log in.

Want all of The Times? Subscribe.

Related Articles

Back to top button