Chris Tomlinson: Another February freeze, avoiding another Texas blackout

Another February, another arctic front, and fears of another blackout. Before the February Freeze of 2021, I think most Texans welcomed the odd snow day. But since millions of us experienced four days without electricity last year, learned about more than 200 cold-related deaths, and repaired millions of broken pipes, we shudder when a meteorologist says winter is coming. “Are we going to lose power this week?” a friend direct messaged me on Twitter. “Don’t think so,” was my reply. I could not say unequivocally no. Everyone living within the boundaries of the Electricity Reliability Council of Texas should be forgiven for questioning the grid’s reliability. Electricity generators tell us they are worried about the natural gas supply. The natural gas lobby insists it’s all under control if the government doesn’t impose regulations.

Watchdogs say the government must act because corporations prioritize profit over consumers. Economists point to fundamental flaws in the electricity market that rewards shortfalls. Investors argue prices should rise alongside demand. Republican leaders promise we have nothing to fear. Democrats warn it will happen again. If you are trying to run a business involving perishables, another extended blackout would be devastating. If you are wealthy, you can buy your way out of a blackout, à la Sen. Ted Cruz flying his family to Cancun while the rest of us shivered in the dark. If you are working class, well, you must choose between warmth and food. The effects of what experts call “energy poverty” take a toll on long-term health, according to a study from the University of East Anglia in the United Kingdom. The research team crunched data from a nationally representative sample of 6,854 English households. They found a link between inflammatory problems and lack of heat in the winter. “We know that exposure to cold temperatures is associated with increased blood pressure, inflammation and cardiovascular mortality risks regardless of age or gender,” Dr. Apostolos Davillas, from the university’s Norwich Medical School, said. “But we found a causal link between fuel poverty and poorer wellbeing, as well as an increased inflammatory biomarker called fibrinogen.”