Abbott's failure to fix power grid could be key issue in next year's gubernatorial race

[LetMyPeopleVote]

Greg has done nothing to fix the grid. All of Texas is at risk due to Greg's failures

Link to tweet

O’Rourke, for his part, says that this will “absolutely” be a central issue in his campaign. In addition to the harm caused by the freeze itself, there’s the fact that state leaders haven’t fixed the electric grid yet, and have left Texans to pay for it—via “an Abbott tax,” as O’Rourke has put it.

“It’s still very much on people’s minds,” he said on Friday. “And they will be reminded of it every single month that they pay their utility bill and see the surcharge that is covering up for the incompetence of our current governor and the greed of those who profited from the misery of so many people in this community.”

He added that we continue to learn more about the freeze, and its aftermath. This week Brad Jones, the interim CEO of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), told NBC 5 in Dallas that he has concerns about a law passed this year which in theory requires gas companies to weatherize. The companies could, instead, simply fill out a one-page form and pay a nominal fee—which is, as Jones put it, an “easy out.”

“More news comes out every single day,” O’Rourke said. “We got a report from ERCOT earlier this week that the gas supply CEOs were let off the hook--(for a nominal) $150 and they no longer had to invest in weatherization of their wellheads and protecting the gas supply. We also learned that a failure to supply gas, because of the lack of investment and weatherization, was one of the primary causes of the power outages that we found in Texas.”

An October poll from the University of Texas/Texas Tribune found just 18 percent of voters approve of how state leaders have handled the issue.

[LonePirate]

1. If the Texas grid fails again this winter, several politicians will be out of job next November.

Hell, they should be out of a job anyway for not doing anything to fix the last failure; but too many voters forget and/or forgive.

[SoCalDavidS]

2. Texans, Like Floridians, Tend To Forget When It Comes To repub Fuck Ups nt

[Texasgal]

3. Yup!

We won't forget!

There are also plenty of republicans that suffered last winter and are not too pleased with Abbott.

[Cha]

4. KR! It's about time a Magat

was held accountable for something in a red state.

[keithbvadu2]

5. Patrick Cruz Paxton blame democrats

Patrick Cruz Paxton blame democrats

Pic Of The Moment: Ah, The Party Of Personal Responsibility

Power outages electrical grid

“California is now unable to perform even basic functions of civilization, like having reliable electricity,” Cruz wrote back then.

[mucifer]

6. I'm positive they will blame President Biden and too many Texans will fall for it

[drray23]

7. I doubt it. The RW meme is that it's because of solar energy.

Abbott said it was because of alternate energy generation and the magats bought it hook, line and sinker.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

8. Greg has done nothing to fix the grid

Link to tweet

[LetMyPeopleVote]

9. Gov. Abbott says he can 'guarantee the lights will stay on' this winter in Texas

I am wondering how Abbott can make this promise give Abbott's refusal to fix the grid

Link to tweet

Gov. Greg Abbott promised that the state’s electric grid would be able to withstand pressures caused by any potential winter storm that occurs this year in a television interview Friday.

“Listen, very confident about the grid. And I can tell you why, for one: I signed almost a dozen laws that make the power grid more effective,” Abbott said. “I can guarantee the lights will stay on.”

After the winter storm in February that left millions across the state without power, the Legislature passed a number of bills requiring additional “weatherization” measures for companies that maintain the state’s electric grid.

But experts have expressed concerns that loopholes have allowed some natural gas providers to exempt themselves from the weatherization requirements, potentially leaving the system still vulnerable.

“Everything that needed to be done was done to fix the power grid in Texas,” Abbott said in June when he signed two of the bills.