Blackouts /tags/blackouts Blackouts en-US Copyright KUT News 2025 Tue, 25 Mar 2025 18:44:39 GMT Burying Austin's power lines would cost $50 billion (and is pretty much impossible) /energy-environment/2025-03-25/burying-power-lines-austin-tx-2023-winter-freeze-blackouts-tree-limbs A new report finds burying lines would be expensive and infeasible given Austin's rocky topsoil. The city commissioned the study after frozen tree limbs on power lines caused blackouts in 2023. Tue, 25 Mar 2025 18:44:39 GMT /energy-environment/2025-03-25/burying-power-lines-austin-tx-2023-winter-freeze-blackouts-tree-limbs Andrew Weber Lawsuit alleging massive energy fraud during 2021 winter storm heads to appeals court /energy-environment/2025-03-13/circlesx-lawsuit-energy-fraud-2021-winter-storm-texas The company CirclesX says it can prove widespread natural gas market manipulation. So far, its case has gained no traction in court. Thu, 13 Mar 2025 17:41:46 GMT /energy-environment/2025-03-13/circlesx-lawsuit-energy-fraud-2021-winter-storm-texas Mose Buchele Texas Supreme Court hears arguments on the high price of electricity during the 2021 blackouts /energy-environment/2024-01-30/texas-supreme-court-hears-arguments-on-the-high-price-of-electricity-during-the-2021-blackouts In oral arguments on Tuesday, the Texas Supreme Court was asked not to decide whether regulators made the right call, but whether they acted within their authority when they set energy prices to the max. Tue, 30 Jan 2024 23:13:37 GMT /energy-environment/2024-01-30/texas-supreme-court-hears-arguments-on-the-high-price-of-electricity-during-the-2021-blackouts Mose Buchele Texas power plants have no responsibility to provide electricity in emergencies, judges rule /energy-environment/2023-12-15/texas-power-plants-have-no-responsibility-to-provide-electricity-in-emergencies-judges-rule A panel of judges has said that big power companies cannot be held liable for failure to provide electricity during the 2021 blackout. The reason is Texas� deregulated energy market. Fri, 15 Dec 2023 21:39:08 GMT /energy-environment/2023-12-15/texas-power-plants-have-no-responsibility-to-provide-electricity-in-emergencies-judges-rule Mose Buchele Extreme winter weather could still lead to blackouts, Texas� power grid operator says /energy-environment/2022-11-29/energy-electricity-ercot-february-2021-storm A seasonal report from ERCOT shows the grid should hold up under normal winter conditions. But there are scenarios in which the grid operator would need to institute blackouts like it did in 2021. Tue, 29 Nov 2022 23:06:29 GMT /energy-environment/2022-11-29/energy-electricity-ercot-february-2021-storm Mose Buchele Texas dialysis patients hope new state law keeps centers open during major weather events /health/2022-11-17/texas-dialysis-patients-hope-new-state-law-keeps-centers-open-during-major-weather-events Dialysis centers closed. Hospitals overwhelmed. When a historic winter storm walloped Texas in 2021, tens of thousands of dialysis patients were trapped at home with no treatment options. Thu, 17 Nov 2022 23:39:46 GMT /health/2022-11-17/texas-dialysis-patients-hope-new-state-law-keeps-centers-open-during-major-weather-events Sara Willa Ernst State regulators reject call to strengthen Texas energy efficiency standards /energy-environment/2022-10-06/texas-public-utility-commission-energy-efficiency-standards Despite unanimously rejecting a petition to strengthen standards in the state, regulators with the Public Utility Commission said they weren't rejecting the idea outright. Instead, they said they needed more time to explore the issue. Thu, 06 Oct 2022 20:34:51 GMT /energy-environment/2022-10-06/texas-public-utility-commission-energy-efficiency-standards Mose Buchele An Austin woman died from hypothermia during the blackout. Four months later, her husband died, too. /health/2022-08-04/shah-family-lost-power-austin-2021-winter-storm Manjula Shah is included in the state’s official death count. Manjula's family says her husband of nearly 60 years should be, too. Researchers say there are many Texans missing from the official tally. Thu, 04 Aug 2022 12:44:23 GMT /health/2022-08-04/shah-family-lost-power-austin-2021-winter-storm Andrew Weber, Mose Buchele ERCOT kept prices high during the blackout per the governor's instructions, former head says /energy-environment/2022-02-23/ercot-kept-prices-high-during-the-blackout-per-the-governors-instructions-former-head-says Gov. Greg Abbott's office has said he was "not involved in any way" with the decision. Testimony from the former head of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas appears to contradict that. Wed, 23 Feb 2022 23:34:43 GMT /energy-environment/2022-02-23/ercot-kept-prices-high-during-the-blackout-per-the-governors-instructions-former-head-says Mose Buchele Federal regulators blame Texas energy policies for severity of February blackouts /energy-environment/2021-09-23/federal-regulators-blame-texas-energy-policies-for-severity-of-february-blackouts The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission released some findings on Thursday from an investigation into February's deadly winter storm and blackouts. Regulators faulted Texas energy policy for much of the disaster. Thu, 23 Sep 2021 22:38:34 GMT /energy-environment/2021-09-23/federal-regulators-blame-texas-energy-policies-for-severity-of-february-blackouts Mose Buchele