After the storm and deadly rolling blackouts – a major question remains: why was Texas’ power grid so vulnerable? In February, a winter storm brought the energy capital of the world to its knees, leading to millions of Texans without power, a death toll well into the triple digits – and many questions such as how the power grid could have succumbed so suddenly, without apparent warning. There’s a history that’s unique to Texas’ power grid – one that involves football, subterfuge, and a whole lot of lobbyists. From the podcast The Disconnect, the story of the Texas power grid – on a special edition of the Texas Standard:
Power Grid
Texas Standard: December 21, 2021
Millions of Texans lost power, hundreds died – months later, the question lingers: how did this happen? They call Texas the energy capital of the world, which makes it all the more a mystery. As a winter freeze gripped the state in February, a text message sent statewide in the middle of the night was the first hint most Texans had that extended blackouts were coming – an event that would bring the Lone Star State to its knees. From the podcast The Disconnect – an attempt to reconnect the dots behind one of the worst power-related disasters in Texas history, on a special edition of the Texas Standard:
Bonus: The Winterizing
Texas lawmakers passed a law earlier this year requiring power plants to winterize — but what does that really mean?
And what about winterizing other things that are needed to make sure the lights don’t go out in a storm again?
Bonus: The Black Start
In this mini-episode, we tell what happens next if the Texas power grid were to suffer a catastrophic failure. It almost did in February — and if it had happened, there might have been an even bigger problem.
Find a full transcript of this episode here.
The Blackout
The story of how the worst blackout in Texas history unfolded — and left millions of people cold, hungry and with no faith in their state’s power grid.
A warning: Some of what you’ll hear in this episode may be disturbing, especially if you lived through this disaster.
Find a full transcript of this episode here.
The Electricity Game
How did we get the power grid we have today? Andrew Weber has the story — and it involves football, subterfuge and a whole lot of lobbyists.
You can find a full transcript of this episode here.
The Energy Island
It was only when the lights went out in Texas that many of us realized — electrically — we are all alone. Claire McInerny brings us that story. Plus, Jimmy Maas tells us how the electricity market in Texas used to work up until about 20 years ago.
Find a full transcript of this episode here.
Trailer: The Disconnect: Power, Politics and the Texas Blackout
Join us as we explore the reasons and decisions that ultimately left millions of Texans in the dark during the crippling winter storm of February 2021. KUT’s Mose Buchele reports on what happened, how we got the electric grid we have today and what could be done to fix it in this limited series podcast.
Texas Standard: February 18, 2021
What did ERCOT know and when did they know it? As millions of Texans still struggle with power outages pressure builds for clear answers. Members of Congress among others demanding straightforward explanations for the collapse of the power grid and uneven distribution of so-called rolling blackouts that left many in the dark and cold for days. Compounding matters, sources for safe water drying up in several parts of Texas as supplies are shut off to deal with cracked pipes and treatment issues. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard: