On a sweltering summer day, Houston found itself at the mercy of Hurricane Beryl, a powerful force of nature that would leave a lasting impact on the city.
One of my family members had to put their insulin in a cooler with half-frozen FRIO ice packs to try to keep the insulin cool; insulin has to be refrigerated until ready for use. He has Type 1 diabetes and literally cannot live without insulin.” – Gracie Israel, Texas Rising North Houston Regional Program Coordinator
Texas is known as “the lone star state,” and it chooses to be alone in more ways than one. The state’s leadership has elected to be the only state in our nation with its own power grid. The grid, operated by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), is separate and independent from federal support. This independence comes at a cost.
The recent impacts from Hurricane Beryl left Houstonians suffering for prolonged days after the storm had passed. This was a consequence of Houston’s power utility, CenterPoint Energy (a member of ERCOT), lacking crucial maintenance. As one of the millions of Houstonians who suffered from the devastating consequences of our failing grid multiple times in the past several years, I’ll explore the causes behind our energy grid, its impact on Houstonians, and the need for reform.
The Devastation of Hurricane Beryl
On a sweltering summer day, Houston found itself at the mercy of Hurricane Beryl, a powerful force of nature that would leave a lasting impact on the city. As Beryl charged through the Gulf of Mexico, its powerful winds and unforgiving rains pummeled the Texas Coast, causing widespread devastation. Houston felt the storm’s wrath acutely, with over 2 million residents plunged into darkness from a massive power outage. The city’s power utility, CenterPoint Energy, buckled under the strain, worsening the crisis. The state regulates CenterPoint Energy as a member of ERCOT. In the hurricane’s aftermath, the toll on Houstonians is heartbreaking: As of Tuesday, July 16, 2024, the number of lives lost is 18, leaving families and communities to grapple with profound grief. Six deaths were heat-related fatalities.
A History of Failure: Winter Storm Uri in 2021
The February 2021 freeze in Texas, known as Winter Storm Uri, had already exposed significant flaws in Texas’ energy grid. As temperatures dropped to record-breaking lows:
- Electricity needs skyrocketed
- Supply drastically fell because of frozen natural gas pipelines and incapacitated power plants
- The state’s energy market, which prioritizes cost-cutting over infrastructure investment, failed to cope with extreme weather.
Now, in 2024, it’s even worse. As climate change intensifies, extreme weather events are becoming more frequent, and massive power outages are becoming our devastating norm.
Why is the Texas energy grid so fragile?
Houston’s power utility faces significant challenges owed to a combination of factors. First off, it’s connected to Texas’ power grid.
We’re the only state that operates its own power grid through the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), separate from the rest of America. ERCOT is decentralized and deregulated, leading to inconsistent standards and underinvestment in critical infrastructure, making the system more vulnerable to failures and inefficiencies. Essentially, the energy grid is not equipped to handle extreme weather conditions. Much of the infrastructure is outdated and in need of modernization. The grid’s heavy reliance on intermittent renewable energy sources, combined with insufficient storage solutions, further compounds the problem. Texas’ regulatory framework, which lacks federal oversight and incentives for enhancing grid resilience, also plays a role. Rapid population and economic growth have only added to the strain on the infrastructure, making Houston’s energy grid especially susceptible to disruptions.
When given the opportunity to pass meaningful legislation aimed at strengthening our grid and protecting Texans during the 2023 session, our Republican-controlled legislature instead focused on targeting LGBTQIA+ communities, holding teacher raises hostage inside of an unpopular voucher bill, and attacking our immigrant neighbors. The bills related to the grid that did pass simply incentivized companies to build new natural gas plants that further exacerbate the climate crisis while demonizing the expansion of renewable resources that could give us a sustainable future.
The Human Cost: How the Fragile Energy Grid Affects Houstonians
Power outages do not affect everyone equally. Underrepresented and disadvantaged groups often bear the brunt of these disruptions as a result of systemic inequalities and limited resources. One of my family members had to put their insulin in a cooler with half-frozen FRIO ice packs to try to keep the insulin cool; insulin has to be refrigerated until ready for use. He has Type 1 diabetes and cannot live without insulin. This directly highlights the crucial need for a resilient energy grid. The consequences of neglecting poor infrastructure are life-threatening.
While power outages are inconvenient for everyone, they can be extremely dangerous for vulnerable groups, such as those reliant on electricity-dependent durable medical equipment, folks with certain medical conditions, those who require refrigerated medications, and the elderly. Without significant improvements, future climate-driven disasters will increasingly endanger the lives and well-being of the city and state’s most vulnerable residents.
We also know that climate change does not affect everyone equally. A recent EPA ozone report revealed that people living in four specific Houston-area monitoring sites face significantly higher ozone pollution levels than the national average, with air quality markedly worse than the rest of the city. It just so happens that these communities are heavily Black and brown populations. Fixing the grid through solutions that don’t further subject our communities to pollution is a racial justice issue.
Calling on all advocates in Houston and across Texas!
As a Regional Program Coordinator for Texas Rising, I see firsthand how critical it is for us to address the issues plaguing Texas’ energy grid. By highlighting these systemic failures and their connection to misallocated tax dollars, we can make an irrefutable case for reform. Investing in a resilient and reliable energy grid is a crucial use of our public resources. Our collective voice has the power to drive change. By rallying our communities, we can ensure that our energy system supports the needs of all Texans effectively and sustainably.
Join our fight to make Texas a better place for all folks by sharing this blog with friends, family, and neighbors. Sign up with TFN to learn more about testifying at local commissioners courts and the Capitol. Tell your local and state representatives what changes you want to see in Texas! This isn’t just about keeping the lights on; it’s about securing a safer, more prosperous future for our loved ones.
