St. David’s South Austin Medical Center said a series of problems began after it lost water pressure from the city Wednesday. Seton hospitals in the area are also facing water problems.
Winter Storm 2021
As Texas faced record-low temperatures in February 2021 and snow and ice made roads impassable, the state’s electric grid operator lost control of the power supply, leaving millions without access to electricity. As the blackouts extended from hours to days, top state lawmakers called for investigations into the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, and Texans demanded accountability for the disaster. The Texas Tribune covered the impact of the storm in real time and continues to bring accountability coverage as officials address the issues exposed by the storm.
Posted in
Winter Storm 2021
Texas power outages: Officials warn of low water supply; nearly 3 million households without electricity
We’re tracking the fallout from the massive winter storm in Texas, which has brought widespread power outages and transportation problems.
Posted in
Winter Storm 2021
Gov. Greg Abbott doesn’t know when suffering Texans will have water or power again
Abbott said he hasn’t been told which parts of Texas should expect power to return. Nearly 12 million Texans are also living under boil-water notices — and that number is expected to increase.
Posted in
Winter Storm 2021
Nearly 12 million Texans now face water disruptions. The state needs residents to stop dripping taps.
After enduring multiple days of freezing temperatures and Texans dripping faucets to prevent frozen pipes from bursting, cities across the state warned Wednesday that water levels are dangerously low, and it may be unsafe to drink.
Posted in
Winter Storm 2021
Texans running out of food as weather crisis disrupts supply chain
Texans running low on food are finding empty grocery store shelves. Food pantries are running out of supplies. And the freeze has wiped out substantial portions of the state’s citrus and vegetable crops.
Posted in
Winter Storm 2021
Gov. Greg Abbott and other Republicans blamed green energy for Texas’ power woes. But the state runs on fossil fuels.
Green energy has been a political punching bag for Texas Republicans like Gov. Greg Abbott throughout the winter storm. Experts say that politicians never take responsibility for natural disasters when it comes to preparedness.
Posted in
Winter Storm 2021
“Please help us, please”: More than 100 older and disabled Texans were stranded without power in Austin high-rise
Firefighters helped staff evacuate residents who wanted to go to shelters after more than two days of frigid temperatures and dwindling food supplies.
Posted in
Winter Storm 2021
Texas’ grid operator wants to bring relief by making power outages consistently shorter — but might not be able to Wednesday
ERCOT’s CEO and president told reporters Wednesday he’s optimistic that the state’s grid will start to see some of the power it has lost return as temperatures warm up.
Posted in
Winter Storm 2021
No, frozen wind turbines aren’t the main culprit for Texas’ power outages
Lost wind power was expected to be a fraction of winter generation. All sources — from natural gas, to nuclear, to coal, to solar — have struggled to generate power during the storm that has left millions of Texans in the dark.
Posted in
Winter Storm 2021
Analysis: Working political angles instead of solving problems
As Texans struggle with terrible winter weather, electric utility failures affecting more than 4 million households, a pandemic and a botched vaccine rollout, a natural question arises: Do state leaders know what they’re doing?