ERCOT

ERCOT Power Grid Failure

Millions of Texas residents have gone days without power or heat in below-freezing temperatures brought on by the rare snow and ice storms sweeping the typically warm and dry region.

Desperate families have tried to combat the snowstorm by running generators and grills indoors, leading to hundreds of carbon monoxide poisonings.

Texas Governor Greg Abbot called the blackout “unacceptable” and said he would add electrical power grid reform as an emergency item for the 2021 legislative session.

The Texas power grid, ERCOT, named after the Electric Reliability Council of Texas is a standalone electric grid that has been deregulated.

Energy and policy experts said Texas’ decision not to require equipment upgrades to better withstand extreme winter temperatures and choice to isolate itself from other U.S. power grids left the system unprepared for the crisis.

Policy observers blamed the power system failure on the legislators and state agencies who they say did not properly heed the warnings of previous storms.

Nevertheless, Texans have been forced to suffer through these treacherous conditions through no fault of their own.

If you or a loved one has suffered from a personal injury, property damage, or a loss of access to power or water, you may be entitled to financial compensation through an ERCOT lawsuit.

Texas Power Grid Failure Statistics

Texas is the second-most populated state in the U.S with nearly 30 million residents.

The state’s power outage during the icy winter storm had widespread ramifications.

The crisis is ongoing, which means the consequences could significantly increase over time.

The following statistics explain and display the severity of the Texas power grid failure so far:

• ERCOT manages the flow of 90 percent of the state’s electric load.
• A few million texans were left without electricity at the peak of the outage.
• More than 1,180 public water systems in 160 counties reported disruptions from the winter storms, affecting 14.6 million residents.
• At least 30 deaths have been blamed on the weather this week, including those who have died trying to stay warm inside their home.
• 450 reports of carbon-monoxide poisonings have been attributed to people running generators and grills inside their homes.
• All 254 counties in Texas were put under a winter weather advisory at the same time during the storm.

What Caused the Texas Power Grid Failure?

The winter storm has had tragic consequences for millions of faultless Texans.

A lot of misleading information has been articulated in order to shed responsibility for their disaster.

While the weather is certainly the main factor in the power outage, here are some of the things that catalyzed the life-altering event.

Supply and Demand Gap

Sources of electricity – such as natural-gas plants – went offline, while the demand for the energy that they produce dramatically increased as people across the state cranked up their heaters to stay warm.

ERCOT responded by utilizing rolling blackouts to limit the amount of electricity being consumed at once.

Electrical Grid Privatization

The U.S. is comprised of three major electric grids.

One of them is solely responsible for nearly all of Texas.

This makes it harder for Texas to draw power from other regions that are not suffering from the same hazardous weather conditions.

Because Texas’ energy market is deregulated, suppliers try to produce energy as cheaply as possible instead of prioritizing reliability.

Lack of Updated Equipment

Natural gas power plants, wind turbines, and other energy infrastructure can be “winterized” to help prevent interruptions during cold weather.

Following the Texas snowstorm in 2011, a federal report recommended including heating elements around pipes and increasing the amount of reserve power available before storms.

Ten years later, history has repeated itself as Texas refused to invest in these recommendations.

Do I Qualify for an ERCOT Lawsuit?

Lawsuits against Texas’ power grid operator are beginning to arise after millions of residents lost power and heat for days.

The council is a private entity that operates under the financial sponsorship of the Texas Public Utility Commission.

Texas residents have begun filing ERCOT lawsuits, citing the clause in the Texas constitution that states, “no person’s property shall be taken, damaged or destroyed for or applied to public use without adequate compensation being made.”

If you or a loved one lost access to heat and water, suffered property damage, or personal injury due to the Texas power grid failure, you may be entitled to financial compensation through an ERCOT lawsuit.

Get in touch with an experienced attorney today to discuss your legal options.

Filing an ERCOT Lawsuit

Filing an ERCOT lawsuit is a detail-oriented procedure that can be made easier with the help of an experienced personal injury attorney by your side.

The civil lawsuit process is tricky and can be overwhelming to those who are already dealing with coping with the repercussions of a traumatic experience.

Lawsuits against ERCOT will test the council’s position of sovereign immunity from claims, which protects government entities from lawsuits.

ERCOT’s immunity protection is currently being reviewed by the Texas Supreme Court.

Proving that ERCOT is liable for the damages that you have incurred is imperative to a successful ERCOT lawsuit and is most easily done through the help of an experienced legal professional.

Hiring an ERCOT Lawsuit Lawyer

The decision of hiring a legal representative is important and should not be taken lightly.

You should find an ERCOT lawyer with experience and a history of success.

Your lawyer will be able to help you with several legal aspects of your Texas power grid failure lawsuit.

First and foremost, they will help you determine if you have a viable case and assess the damages you’ve suffered.

Your personal injury attorney will fight to make sure that you receive compensation that equals or exceeds the total costs of your injuries.

Also, they will walk you through each step of the legal process and simplify legal jargon, so that you can be certain of what is transpiring.

You will need to work together with your ERCOT lawyer to preserve evidence to support your claim.

Satisfactory evidence includes things such as photos, videos, witness statements, medical bills, etc.

Additionally, you can increase the amount of potential compensation you are awarded by proving mitigation.

This means you need to gather and keep anything that proves you made a concerted effort to improve your condition.

TorHoerman Law – Your Texas Power Grid Failure Law Firm

At TorHoerman Law, our team provides answers and compensation for those who were injured or suffered damages through no fault of their own.

TorHoerman Law has a history of decorated success in personal injury lawsuits.

We have won more than $4 billion in verdicts and negotiated settlements for our clients.

TorHoerman Law operates on a contingency fee basis.

Thus, you do not owe us any amount of payment you have been compensated for your injury.

Contact an experienced ERCOT lawyer today to find out what they can do for you.

You may use the chatbot below for an instant, no-obligation ERCOT lawsuit case consultation for free.