Just got off statewide elected officials call with ERCOT. Trying to relay from memory:
-17 GigaWatt still off line.
-Trying to bring stuff back on line ASAP.
-Combination of gas, coal, solar, wind, and nukes went off line. (Nukes?)
-500 MW (0.5GW) came back during the call
Sun warming up wind turbine blades and shed off ice that formed during cold rain will put wind farms back on line quickly.
Water vapor in gas lines freezing up sensors and regulators in LNG plants.
LNG well heads frozen at the pump.
All cold related outage.
There were cold related measures taken after the freeze of 2011.
But the measures were for 2011 level storm.
2021 far exceeded what was planned or expected.
Just didn't expect this cold and across the entire state.
It is common gossip in the legislature that Rick Miller's seat was specifically drawn, in 2011, to prevent an Asian American from winning in the Republican Primary.
This exact situation played itself out in the 2012 primaries.
Over time this protection has been eroded.
My predecessor, Scott Hochberg, testified under oath during the 2011 Re-districting lawsuit, that Pct. 311 in my area was specifically cut out to prevent an Asian challenger from rising.
He didn't request this.
But, he was told that they were "helping" him stay in office.