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>> As we continue our winter weather alert coverage you want >>> WE WANT TO BRING IN ANDREW
BARLOW, THE DIRECTOR OF THE PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION OF
TEXAS.
CAN YOU GIVE US A SENSE OF WHAT
WE SHOULD EXPECT IN THE COMING
HOURS IF NOT DAYS WHEN IT COMES
TO THE ELECTRICITY PROBLEM THAT
WE ARE SEEING STATEWIDE?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
THE BOTTOM LINE IS, STATEWIDE WE
ARE FACING A WEATHER ANOMALY
THAT IS THE WINTER EQUIVALENT OF
A HURRICANE HARVEY, WHEN YOU
THINK ABOUT THE IMPACT IT HAS
HAD.
AIRPORTS ARE CLOSED, ROADS ARE
CLOSED.
IN THIS CASE THE POWER GRID
DIMINISHES AS A RESULT OF A LOT
OF THE WEATHER EFFECTS.
RIGHT NOW, OPERATING IN A
DEFICIT CONDITION.
WHEN SUPPLY WAS LOST OVERNIGHT.
A NUMBER OF POWER PLANTS AND
POWER RESOURCES.
IT CAUSED A DROP IN THE SUPPLY,
WHICH MEANT THE PLAN HAD TO BE
REDUCED.
THEY’RE WORKING DILIGENTLY TO
RESTORE.
AS THEY GO, IT’S NOT AN EASY
PROCESS BUT IT’S UNDERWAY.
WERE NOT OUT OF THE WOODS BY A
LONG SHOT.
THERE IS WORK GOING ON RIGHT NOW
TO RESTORE THOSE LOST POWER
CONNECTIONS.
WE KNEW THIS WAS COMING FOR
SEVERAL DAYS.
WHAT WAS THE REASON FOR THE WIND
TURBINES GOING DOWN.
>> bottom the by large a lot of TURBINES GOING DOWN.
>> bottom the by large a lot of it turns out there that Friday >> A VARIETY OF TURBINES OUT ON
THE WESTERN PART OF THE STATE THAT ARE ICED.
FROM A FORECAST PERSPECTIVE, THE
WIND IS ACTUALLY PERFORMING.
IN ADDITION THERE WERE GAS
PLANTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT THAT
WERE AFFECTED BY WEATHER.
ALTHOUGH DETAILS ARE YET TO
FORECAST OR COME, COULD BE
ANYTHING FROM A POWER LINE THAT
HAD A TREE BRANCH FALL ON IT.
IT COULD BE PLACES WHERE, YOU
KNOW, THE MACHINERY ITSELF, HIGH
LOAD AND HIGH STRESS MAY HAVE
FAILED.
A VARIETY OF CHALLENGES ARE
BEING HANDLED ACROSS THE STATE.
WE ARE CONTINUING TO WORK
THROUGH THAT WORKING TO CALL ON
THOSE PEOPLE THAT HAVE POWER TO
CONSERVE.
>> DO YOU THINK ENOUGH WAS DONE
IN PREPARATION AHEAD OF THE
STORM TO MAKE SURE WE HAD ENOUGH
POWER STATEWIDE?
>> THE EFFORTS WERE WIDESPREAD.
beginning that you know this is >> THE EFFORTS WERE WIDESPREAD.
beginning that you know this is essenti THIS IS A CALAMITY THAT IS
OCCURRING ACROSS THE STATE. WHEN YOU THINK BACK TO 2011,
WHEN THE SUPER BOWL WAS IN
DALLAS AND THERE WAS MASSIVE
STORMS IN THE AREA.
IT CAUSED A NUMBER OF POWER
PLANTS TO GO OFF-LINE BECAUSE
THEIR PIPES FROZE, THEY BURST
AND THEY LOST THEIR ABILITY TO
PRODUCE ELECTRICITY.
IN THE 10 YEARS THERE HAS BEEN A
WIDESPREAD EFFORT TO CONTINUE TO
WEATHERIZE PLANTS SO THEY CAN
HANDLE ADVERSE CONDITIONS.
ANYONE WITHIN EARSHOT WOULD
ADMIT, BY LOOKING OUT THEIR
WINDOW, THAT THESE ARE WEATHER
CONDITIONS THAT ARE HONESTLY
UNPRECEDENTED.
get it I think just that the UNPRECEDENTED.
get it I think just that the broader concern is when when ON THE COLDEST DAY WE HAVE SEEN
AND 30 PLUS YEARS I THINK THEY’RE GOING TO BE POINTING
FINGERS IN YOUR DIRECTION.
FIRST OF ALL WE ARE VERY
CONCERNED ABOUT ANYBODY.
IT’S TERRIBLE TO BE SITTING AT
HOME.
I’VE HAD A POWER OUTAGE AT MY
HOUSE ON THURSDAY IT WAS
EXTENDED FOR FOUR HOURS.
IT’S NO FUN SITTING IN A HOUSE
THAT IS DARK AND GETTING COLD.
IT IS A CALAMITY THAT IS
AFFECTING EVERY ASPECT OF OUR
ECONOMY AND CULTURE.
MANY PEOPLE ARE WORKING TO
RECOVER THE SITUATION.
>> ANDREW BARLOW, PUC, THANK YOU