With seven people killed and close to a million losing power, the recent storms hit Texas hard. Restoring electricity may take days and may not be completed by Wednesday. The isolation of the Texas power grid has been a point of contention in recent years, representing the state’s independent streak and resistance to federal oversight. The vulnerabilities of the system were highlighted during Winter Storm Uri in 2021, but Texas failed to address the issues, leading to repeated crises in the following years. With record high temperatures approaching and ERCOT issuing warnings of potential emergency conditions, Texas is on the brink of yet another avoidable crisis.
The isolation of the Texas power grid dates back to 1935 when Congress passed the Public Utility Holding Company Act. This led to energy monopolies isolating themselves from other states to avoid federal regulation, with ERCOT being formed in 1970 to manage the state’s electric grid. However, the flaws of ERCOT were exposed during the February 2021 winter storm, resulting in over 4.5 million homes losing power and at least 200 deaths. The failure to power the state during such a traumatic event highlighted the risks of an isolated grid and the importance of having stronger links to other power-sharing networks.
El Paso, which is part of the Western Interconnection and not ERCOT’s network, fared much better during the winter storm compared to Houston and Dallas. This highlights the benefits of power-sharing networks and the potential protection they offer. However, the persisting problems in ERCOT, such as surging electricity prices, continue to burden average Texans. While efforts have been made to address these issues, such as U.S. Representative Greg Casar filing the “Connect the Grid Act” to interconnect ERCOT with neighboring networks, opposition from Republicans suggests that significant changes may be slow to come.
Despite these challenges, there is a silver lining in the form of increasing battery construction and a surge in solar and wind power. These changes have allowed Texas to diversify and decentralize its energy production, helping the state meet increasing demand. However, the decades-long isolation of Texas’ power grid has resulted in surging costs for consumers and deadly failures that threaten the health and safety of residents. To accommodate the growing energy needs of the state, Texas must move towards ending ERCOT’s isolation and embracing interconnectedness with the rest of North America.
