As a winter storm forced the state’s power grid to the brink of collapse, millions of residents were submerged this week into darkness, bitter cold and a sense of indignation over being stuck in uncomfortable and even dangerous conditions. The storm, among the worst in a generation in Texas, led to the state’s grid becoming overwhelmed as supply withered against a soaring demand. The consequences of the frigid weather, and the loss of electricity and natural gas, rippled across the state. Some communities in the Rio Grande Valley, in South Texas, lost power Sunday night and still had not had it restored by Tuesday night. That design relies on basic economics: When electricity demand increases, so too does the price for power.

Source: bd News24 February 17, 2021 08:35 UTC