Texas has work to do to avoid another energy crisis

Transmission towers and power lines lead to a substation after a snowstorm on February 16th, 2021, in Fort Worth, Texas. Winter storm Uri has brought historic cold weather and power outages to Texas as storms have swept across 26 states with a mix of freezing temperatures and precipitation. | Photo by Ron Jenkins / Getty Images

Texas’ massive energy crisis didn’t have to happen, experts say — and it doesn’t have to happen again. Authorities can start working on solutions now that could prevent future blackouts. But unless the state gets to work fast, its energy system will be vulnerable to the next shock.

Unless the state gets to work fast, its energy system will be vulnerable to the next shock

For starters, Texas’ grid needs to prepare for more blows from extreme weather, and the change can’t stop there. Upgrading homes and buildings is a straightforward way to keep people safe during catastrophic conditions like this week’s cold snap. Emergency response efforts need an update, too.

Michael Bates, general manager of Energy at Intel, lives in Austin where he...

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