Austin News

In a move to address Texas's vulnerability during extreme weather events, Congressman Greg Casar (D-Texas) is drafting federal legislation that would require the state's electric grid, operated by ERCOT, to integrate with national grids, according to a press release. This initiative comes after recent energy conservation pleas from ERCOT amidst a scorching summer, highlighting the need for grid resilience.

“I am drafting federal legislation to connect Texas to the national electric grids,” Casar said. “Whether we’re in the middle of a heat wave or a winter storm, Texas should be able to keep the lights on. This legislation will help consumers, improve the economy, generate more clean power and save lives.”

About 90% of the state’s electricity is run solely through the Texas grid currently. Because millions of Texans were not interconnected to the national grids, they were susceptible to losing power in the extreme cold or extreme heat—when reliable energy was needed the most. The remaining 10% – like El Paso in the West and Jasper in the East – were connected to other grids and did not suffer mass power outages during Winter Storm Uri in 2021. The official death toll resulting from the 2021 winter storm in Texas stands at 246, impacting individuals ranging from 1 to 102 years old across 77 counties. The majority of fatalities were attributed to prolonged exposure to extreme cold, with 158 cases linked to hypothermia and three to frostbite. Additionally, disruptions to critical medical treatments like dialysis and oxygen therapy, as well as challenging road conditions, contributed to other causes of death, while 22 fatalities were attributed to vehicle accidents during the crisis.

Winter Storm Uri inflicted devastating consequences on Texas, leaving over 10 million residents without power and causing an estimated 246 deaths, though the actual toll may be higher. The state also grappled with a staggering economic cost of $100 billion due to the severe weather. This crisis underscored the critical need for increased electric transmission capacity between the Texas power grid and the Southeastern U.S., with each additional gigawatt potentially saving nearly $1 billion and ensuring essential heating for hundreds of thousands of Texans.