>>>
>>> TEXANS ARE HEADING INTO ANOTHER C+@OLD NIGHT, MILLIONS
US WITHOUT HEAT.
THIS IS A LIVE LOOK AT THE
ROADS, WHICH ARE ALREADY PACKED
WITH SNOW AND ICE PICKS.
WE WILL GET GOING FOR AN HOUR
TONIGHT.
TONIGHT.
TONIGHT. WE ARE ALL FEELING THE IMPACT
OF THIS RECORD-BREAKING COLD,
SOME OF +@YOU ARE TELLIN+@G US
IT'S LIKE IN YOUR HOME AFTER
NOT HAVING POWER FOR DAYS.
TONIGHT, WE ARE GETTING ANSWERS
FROM ERCOT AND GOVERNOR ABBOTT
HIMSELF . PARTS OF FT.
WORTH HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO BOIL
+@
WORTH HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO BOIL WATER, OTHERS ARE ISO+@LATED AN
ALONE AND THE ONLY LIFELINE
LEFT IS A CELL PHO+@NE BUT THE
SERVICE HAS SLOWED DOWN
SIGNIFICANTLY IN SOME +@AREAS A
ALL THIS IS HAPPENING AS
ANOTHER STORM MOVES IN.
PETE IS KICKING OFF OUR
COVERAGE TONIGHT. +@
WHAT CAN WE EXPECT? IT STARTED
SNOWING IN PARTS OF THE DALLAS-
FORT WORTH AREA AND THIS IS THE
PRIMARY FOR MORE SIGNIFICANCE
KNOW OF THAT LATER ON TONIG+@HT
NOT SNOWING HERE, IF IT IS,
IT'S A FLURRY SO I CAN'T PICK
IT UP.
IT UP.
IT UP. WE
IT UP. WE HAVE HAD FLURRIES IN DENTON,
I DON'T SEE ANYTHING HAPPENING
AT THIS MOMENT, IT IS 15 AND
DENTON.
DENTON.
DENTON. AT THIS POINT, IT'S NOT BELOW
ZERO BUT WE DO HAVE A WINTER+@
STORM WARNING IN EFFECT,
WIDESPREAD SNOW, WILL WE WILL
HAVE HIGHER AMOUNTS THAN THE
AND NORTHEAST TEXAS.
QUARTER TO A HALF AN INCH SOUTH
AND SOUTHE+@AST OF +@THE AREA.
SL+@OW FLURRIES FROM DENTON TO
DECATUR AND ALSO TO THE WEST,
WE ALSO HAD SNOW FLORES, THAT
IS WHY WE WEREN'T SEEING ANY
SNOW, FRISCO, STEVENSVILLE, ALL
GETTING IN ON THE ACT, THIS IS
JUST A PRIMER FOR MORE SNOW IN
THE FORECAST AS WE HEAD
OVERNIGHT AND INTO THE MORNING
TOMORROW.
TOMORROW.
TOMORROW. LET ME SHOW YOU THE TIMING. AS
WE LOOK FORWARD HAD AT 7:00,
THE PINK IS LATE AND ALSO
FREEZING RAIN.
FREEZING RAIN. THE BLUES, THE WHITES, THAT'S
ALL SNOW.
ALL SNOW.
ALL SNOW. 10:00 TONIGHT, NOW IT'S
STARTING TO COME DOWN AND NOW
WE HAVE FREEZING RAIN AND SLEET
TO T+@HE SOUTH OF THE FORT WORT
AREA, MUST ICE STAYS SOUTH OF
THE CITY'S BUT THE CITIES OF
FT.
FT.
FT. WORTH
FT. WORTH AND DALLAS, I'M NOT GOING
TO RULE IT OUT, A GLAZE, MAYBE
UP T+@O 1/10 OF AN INCH.
WE ARE SAYING MODERATES KNOW
TOMORROW MORNING AND WE ARE
SEEING A LOT OF ICE IN THE EAST
TEXAS AND ALSO SOU+@THEAST TEXA
I WILL HAVE MORE +@DETAILS ON
+@
+@ THAT.
THAT.
THAT. >>
THAT. >> IT'S BEEN A LONG COUPLE OF
DAYS, MILLIONS ARE STILL
WITHOU+@T POWER.
WITHOU+@T POWER. YOU SHARED A LOT OF PICTURES OF
+@
YOU SHARED A LOT OF PICTURES OF YOUR THERMOSTATS, NATASHA
TWEETED THIS PICTURE.
NATASHA, YOU HAVE BEEN WITHO+@U
POWER FOR 31 HOURS, +@THE
TEMPERATURE IN HER HOME, 39
DEGREES SPEC ERCOT IS WORKING
TO RESTORE POWER TO HOMES, THE
@ COMPANY SAYS IT'S DOING IT IN
A STABLE MANNER NOT TO OVERLOAD
THE GRID.
THE GRID.
THE GRID. THE COMPANY JUST+@ HAD A NEWS
CONFERENCE A SHORT TIME+@ AGO.
COULD THEY ANSWER WHEN THE
POWER WILL COME BACK ON?
THE MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION,
THAT SOMETHING EVERYONE WANTS
TO KNOW RIGHT NOW,+@ WHEN THE
POWER IS GOING TO COME BACK ON.
HERE IS THE PROBLEM, THE
SITUATION IN THE ENTIRE STATE
REALLY HAS NOT CHANGED MUCH
OVER THE L+@AST 24 HOURS AND
SOURCES ARE TELLING ME THAT
GOVERNOR ABBOTT IS BEYOND
FRUSTRATED, JUST LIKE SO MANY
OF YOU ARE NOW+@.
HERE ARE THE PROBLEMS, THE WAY
ERCOT IS SET UP, IT'S THE
ORGANIZATION THAT MANAGES THE
POWER GRID, THE WAY IT SET UP
AS A 501(C) ORGANIZATION, A
CORPORATION, SO IT IS A
SEPARATE ENTITY ABOUT THE
GOVERNOR AND LEGISLATURE DON'T
HAVE DIRECT OVERSIGHT OF.
THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE DOES HAVE
A VOICE IN THE PUBLIC UTILITY
COMMISS+@ION SO THERE IS DIRECT
OVERSIGHT, BUT IF YOU JUST
WATCHED OUR NEWSCAST AT 5:00,
YOU SAW THE QUESTIONS ASKING
THE GOVERNOR, THE GOVERNOR
CLEARLY FRUST+@RATED AN+@D ONE
THE ANGRIEST INTERVIEWS I'VE
SEEN FROM HIM, UPSET SAYING
ERCOT IS NOT BEING TRANSPARENT
AND HE IS CALLING FOR+@ REFORM
THAT ORGANIZATION.
THAT ORGANIZATION. TAKE A LISTEN.
>> WE NEED GREATER
TRANSPARENCY, EXPLANATIONS, THE
PUBLIC HAS A RIGHT TO KNOW
WHAT ERCOT IS DOING, HOW THEY
ARE MAKING THEIR DECISIONS, WHY
THEY ARE MAKING +@THEM THE WAY
THEY ARE AND TO SPEED UP THEIR
DISMAY VISION MAKING PROCESS
BECAUSE IT IS COMPLETELY
UNACCEPTABLE FOR PEOPLE TO GO
MORE THAN A DAY WITHOUT POWER+@
>> AND DID SO, THE GOVERNOR IS
SO+@UNDING LIKE SO MANY OF YOU
GUYS ARE WITHOUT POWER, THAT IS
WHAT IS FRUSTRATING HERE.
THE GOVERNOR CLEARLY UPSET AT
WHAT IS HAPPENING.
WHAT DOES ERCOT SAY?
FIRST THING THIS MORNING, ERCOT
GAVE ME A CALL, JUST BEFORE
8:00, SAYING HEY DO YOU WANT TO
ENTER FIELD THE CEO?
WE ARE GOING TO OFFER A FEW
INTERVIEWS ACROSS THE STATE.
I SAID SURE, WHAT TIME?
IN 10 MINUTES, SO I GOT A
HANDFUL OF QUESTIONS TOGETHER,
MANY OF THE SAME QUESTIONS YOU
+@
MANY OF THE SAME QUESTIONS YOU HAVE ENOUGH, WANTING OUR
ANSWERS ON, AND WE SAT DOWN AND
GAVE HIM A CALL.
ALL ALONG, ONE THI+@NG+@ WE KNE
FOR CERTAIN WAS THE WEATHER, A
WINTER STORM WAS COMING.
WHAT IS NOW THE MUCH LESS
CERTAIN IS WHEN WIDESPREAD
ELECTRIC OUTAGES WILL FINALLY
GET FIXED.
GET FIXED. IS THERE A CHANCE THIS COULD BE
EVER WITH THURSDAY OR FRIDAY OR
ARE WE LOOKING AT THE OUTAGES
EXTENDED THROUGH THE WEEKEND?
I KNOW IT'S BEEN A TERRIBLE
PROBLEM BUT WE DON'T WANT THE
BLACKOUTS TO LAST FOR A VERY
LONG TIME, THE SYSTEM HAS TO BE
REBUILT.
REBUILT.
REBUILT. I THINK WE CAN SEE THOSE
CUSTOMERS GETTING MORE SERVICE
@ THROUGH THE COURSE OF THIS WEE+
BUT IT JUST DEPENDS ON HOW THE
WEATHER TURNS AND HOW MUCH OF
THE POWER SUPPLY IS THE CARE.
>> Reporter: SECURING POWER IS
THE PROBLEM, AND THE INTERVIEW,
+@
THE PROBLEM, AND THE INTERVIEW, THE CEO OF SAID 70 TO 80 TEXAS
POWER PLANTS ARE NOT WORKING
RIGHT NOW IN TH+@E COLD WEATHER
EQUIPMENT IS FREEZING AND THEY
ARE SHUTTING DOWN.
ON MONDAY, THAT TOOK 34,000
MEGAWATTS OF ELECTRICITY OFF-
LINE.
LINE.
LINE. TODAY, 45,000 MEGAWATTS ARE OFF-
LINE.
LINE.
LINE. FOR
LINE. FOR CONTACTS,+@ A SING+@LE+@ ME
CAN POWER ABOUT 500 HOMES.
>> IT LOOKS LIKE THE SITUATION
IS GETTING WORSE.
>> THAT IS THE NUMBER WE GOT
TODAY, AND I GUESS I WOULD HAVE
TO SAY, I DON'T THINK IT'S
GETTING, WE HAVE HAD SOME THAT
COME ON, SOME HAVE RETURNED, SO
I DON'T THINK THE WAY WE ARE
SAYING IT IS A CONTINUATION
DOWNWARD, BUT A SNAPSHOT IN
TIME, WE HAVE HAD SOME UNITS
THAT WERE ON THAT HAVE COME OFF
AND SOME MAY BE COMING ON VERY
SOON.
SOON.
SOON. >>
SOON. >> CAN YOU CHARACTERIZE WHERE
WE ARE IN THIS?
YOU SA+@ID IT'S DECLINING, IT'S
YOU SA+@ID IT'S DECLINING, IT'S@ GETTING WORSE, OR WE HAD A
STABLE POINT YET AND TH+@IS?
>> WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT WE WILL
SEE AT LEAST A LITTLE BIT OF
MODERATION IN THE WEATHER,
WHILE IT IS STILL GOING TO BE
CALLED, WE WANT SEE SINGLE
DIGITS THAT WE HAVE SEEN THIS
WEEK.
WEEK.
WEEK. SO,
WEEK. SO, THE MODERATION IN THE +@
WEATHER, CERTAINLY WILL LOWER
THE DEMAND ASIDE, WHICH WILL
HELP US SERVE EVERYBODY'S
ELECTRICITY.
ELECTRICITY. >> THE WEATHER GOT US INTO US
AND ERCOT SAYS IT'S GOING TO
HAVE TO GET US OUT OF IT AS
WELL.
WELL.
WELL. THE
WELL. THE CEO SAYS HE GET THE
FRUSTRATION, HE CALLED THIS
UNACCEPTABLE AND TERRIBLE, HE
+@ GETS THE FRUSTRATION BECAUSE OF
HIS OWN WIFE AND EIGHTH-GRADE
CHILD OF HIS ARE BOTH SITTING
AT HOME IN AUSTIN WITHOUT ANY
ELECTRICITY OTHER HOUSE SPEC AS
FAR AS ACCOUNTABILITY GOES,
PEOPLE WANT ANSWERS AND THEY
DESERVE ANSWERS AND LAWMAKERS
ARE ASKING, BUT ERCOT SIMPLY
MANAGES THE GRID, THE
ACCOUNTABILITY, WHERE THE SOUL
LIES IS WITH THE 70 TO 80
POWER PANT OWNERS WHO DID NOT
HAVE THEIR POWER PLANTS +@READY
THERE ARE 690 IN TEXAS, 70 TO
80 OF THOSE PHYSICALLY ARE NOT
WORKING, THAT IS CAUSING THE
SITUATION WE ARE IN RIGHT NOW.
SOMETHING ELSE TO WATCH FROM
THE GOVERNOR'S INTERVIEW HE DID
WITH US IN THE LAST HOUR OR SO,
THE SUPPLY OF NATURAL GAS THAT
HEATS OUR HOMES.
THAT ALSO POWERS SO MANY OF
THESE UTILITIES, THE POWER
PANTHER PROVIDING ELECTRICITY
TO US RIGHT NOW.
THE SUPPLY OF NATURAL GAS IS IN
A C+@RUNCH RIGHT NOW AND THAT'S
SERIOUS PROBLEM.+@
SERIOUS PROBLEM.+@ WATER IS USED TO PUSH NATURAL
+@
+@ GAS
+@ GAS OUT AND THEN THEY PUT IT IN
PIPELINES AND LIQUEFY THE
NATURAL GAS.
NATURAL GAS. HERE IS THE PROBLEM, GOVERNOR
ABBOTT TOLD US IN THAT
INTERVIEW AT 5:00 +@THAT NATURA
GAS SUPPLIES ARE QUOTE FROZEN
I+@N THE PIPELINE AND FROZEN AT
THE RIG.
THE RIG.
THE RIG. THAT IS A PROBLEM BECAUSE WE
ARE RELYING ON THAT RIGHT NOW.
SO MANY PEOPLE ARE TO HEAT
THEIR HOUSES WHILE THEY DON'T
HAVE ELECTRICITY.
HAVE ELECTRICITY. COULD WE HAVE NATURAL +@GAS
OUTAGES?
OUTAGES?
OUTAGES? THAT IS SOMETHING WE ARE REALLY
WATCHING RIGHT NOW, REALLY
CROSSING OUR FINGERS TO HELP
THAT DOES NOT HAPPEN.
>> I ASKED HIM A QUESTION+@ AND
HE COULD NOT ANSWER IT.
GREAT REPORT TONIGHT, THANK
YOU.
YOU.
YOU. >>>
YOU. >>> SLICK RHODES COULD BECOME A
BIGGER PROBLEM IS MORE WINTER
WEATHER MOVES THEN.
ALEX, WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN SAYING?
>> Reporter: WE ARE IN FT.
WORTH RIGHT NOW, I WANT TO GIVE
YOU A LIVE LOOK, YOU CAN SEE
WHAT WE HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING
THROUGHOUT MUCH OF THE
AFTERNOON.
AFTERNOON. +@
AFTERNOON. +@WE DROVE FROM DALLAS TO MINER
WELLS AND ARE ON OUR WAY BACK.
YOU CAN SEE SOME PORTIONS ARE
SNOW-COVERED, FEELINGS THAT ARE
NOT.
NOT.
NOT. WE
NOT. WE SAW MORE PROBLEMS ON THE
SURFACE STREETS, FOLKS WITH THE
POWER OUTAGES WHEN YOU HAVE
STREETLIGHTS THAT ARE NOT
OPERATIONAL, YOU GOT TO BE SURE
TO TREAT THAT IS A FOUR-WAY
STOP.
STOP.
STOP. WE
STOP. WE SAW SOME PROBLEMS ON THE
SURFACE STREETS.
SURFACE STREETS. THIS IS NOT BAD RIGHT NOW.
IT'S GOING TO GET WORSE AS THE
EVENING PROGRESSES, WE WILL
KEEP AN EYE ON THINGS.
BACK TO YOU IN THE STUDIO.
>> STAY SAFE OUT THERE.
>>> PARENTS WILL DO JUST ABOUT
ANYTHI+@NG+@ TO PROTECT THEIR
CHILDREN, I'M A+@ DAD, I GET IT
BUT SOME OF THE DESPERATE
ATTEMPTS TO STA+@Y WARM HAVE GO
WRONG.
WRONG.
WRONG. FT.
FT.
FT. WORTH
FT. WORTH HAS TREATED 13 CHILDREN
FOR CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING,
HOW TO KEEP YOUR FAMILY SAFE
WHILE TRYING TO STAY WARM.
>> Reporter: FT.
WORTH FIRE WAS+@ CALLED TO A HO
IN THE CITY'S EASTSIDE MONDAY,
THEY BELIEVED THE GENERATOR,
USED ON A BITTERLY COOL DAY
LIKELY POISON THE AIR WITH
CARBON MONOXID+@E.
CARBON MONOXID+@E. FOUR PEOPLE WERE TAKEN TO THE
HOSPITAL, INCLUDING A CHILD PICK
>> PEOPLE NEE+@D TO BE AWARE OF
THE DANGERS.
THE DANGERS. >> Reporter+@: DR. PHILLIPS THA
EVERY PATIENT HE ADMITTED
OVERNIGHT WAS FOR CARBON
MONOXIDE POISONING.
MONOXIDE POISONING. HE SAYS HE HARDLY EVER IN EVEN
SEES ONE.
SEES ONE.
SEES ONE. >> KIDS ARE AT HIGHER RISK.
>> Reporter: DR. BIANCA SAID
THAT HIS BEAK HAD KIDS AND HOW
MORE PER BODY WHITE LINEN AN
ADUL+@T WOULD.
ADUL+@T WOULD. >> IT STARTS OFF WITH
HEADACHES, SLEEP+@INESS, ALTERE
MENTAL STATUS, PASSING OUT,,,
THEN DEATH AFTER THAT.
>> Reporter: THANKFULLY, NONE
OF THE 13 BABIES AND CHILDREN
THEY TREATED DIED, BUT THE
HOSPITAL AND FIRE DEPARTMENT
ARE DEEPLY CONCERNED.
>> WHILE WE UNDERSTAND THEY ARE
DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO
KEEP WARM, I THINK UNKNOWINGLY,
THEY ARE STARTING TO POISON
+@ THEMSELVES.
THEMSELVES. >> Reporter: THIS FIREFIGHTER+@
PLEASE FAMILIES TO AVOID
HEATING THEIR HOMES WITH THINGS
THAT CREATE EXHAUST OR SMOKE
AND THEY CAN TR+@ULY AND +@PROB
BE VENTED.
BE VENTED. IN ONE CASE, A FAMILY USED A
CHARCOAL GRILL INDOORS TO WARM-
UP.
UP.
UP. >>
UP. >> I+@F YOU DO NOT HAVE POWER A
YOU DON'T +@HAVE A SAFE HEAT
SOURCE, GO TO ONE OF THOSE
CENTERS, LET'S GET YOU
SOMEWHERE YOU CAN BE SAFE.
>> Reporter: WITH FT.
WORTH FIRE RESPONDING TO 80
CARBON MONOXIDE CALL SO FAR,
THE NEED FOR PREVENTION AND
PROTECTION IS CLEAR.
IN FT.
IN FT.
IN FT. WORTH, I MALIGNS A CALYX.
>>> BREAKING NEWS, FIREFIGHTERS
ARE BATTLING A BIG FIRE IN
DUNCANVILLE, AT THAT A COMPLEX
OF TOWNHOMES.
OF TOWNHOMES. THE RED CROSS SAID 6 TO 8 UNITS
HAVE BEEN IMPACTED IN THIS FIRE
THAT'S BEEN GOING FOR A COUPLE
OF HOURS.
OF HOURS.
OF HOURS. IT'S HAPPENING, RED CROSS IS
+@
IT'S HAPPENING, RED CROSS IS PROV+@IDING SHELTER, FOOD AND
OTHER ITEMS, WE DON'T YET KNOW
@ ABOUT ANY INJU+@RIES.
>>> WE WANT TO UPDATE YOU ON
THE DEADLY CRASH ON 35, MORE
THAN 100 30 CARS, TRUCKS AND
SOME ICE PILED UP LAST WEEK AND
NOW THEY ARE STEPPING INTO
INVESTIGATE ALONGSIDE THE TEXAS