Texas Governor Greg Abbott today provided an update on the state’s response to severe winter weather conditions and power outages throughout the state. The Governor discussed the weather forecast, response efforts to assist Texans in need, water quality, and other issues affecting communities across the state.
The Governor discussed the current power situation in Texas and what the state is doing to get more Texans back online. There still remains about 10,000 megawatts (MW) that are off the power grid in Texas. About 6,000 MW have been added to the Texas grid over the past day, which is equivalent to power for about 1.2 million households. In addition to the 6,000 MW restored to the grid, additional power generation from coal and other sources will continue to come online throughout tomorrow. Small natural gas generators should sporadically add megawatts over the next 24 hours to help bring electricity to thousands of Texans. There are still challenges with all sources of generation, resulting from mechanical difficulties, gas supply issues, and the effects of extreme winter weather conditions.
The Governor has ordered natural gas producers not to export product out of state until February 21st and instead sell it to providers within Texas. The Governor also noted that he has been working closely with the White House to provide additional resources for Texans and expand the supply of the energy in the state. The Texas Railroad Commission has worked closely with the Public Utility Commission, Electric Reliability Council of Texas, and other state and local agencies to ensure that electricity and gas can swiftly be provided across the state.
The Governor discussed the ways the state is dealing with plumbing challenges. The Texas Board of Plumbing Examiners is able to give provisional licenses to out-of-state plumbers to increase the response to burst pipes and flooding. The Governor will also issue a waiver that allows plumbers currently holding an expired license to assist with Texans in need following the storm through the waiving of certain fees and examination requirements.
“The State of Texas is working around the clock to provide the resources, assistance, and support that our communities need to respond to the impacts of this winter weather,” said Governor. “We will continue to exhaust all available methods to restore power for Texans and ensure that our communities can recover.”
