Experts are warning that the state of Texas is under threat of rolling blackouts this summer amid a heatwave and record-high demand for power.
Energy analyst Ed Hirs, a University of Houston energy fellow wrote a recent op-ed for The Austin American-Statesman in which he highlighted the gap between power generation and demand across the state.
Hirs noted that six power plants had gone offline in Texas during a mini heatwave in mid-May, prompting calls for Texans to be more conservative with their energy. He also noted that newer traditional power plants simply aren’t being built.
The expert also pointed to a growing Texas population and economy that is outpacing generation capacity from traditional electricity sources, writing, “This summer, Texas natural gas, coal, nuclear, and hydroelectric plants will provide less electricity than they did in 2010 even though the Texas economy has grown from $1.25 trillion in 2010 to $2 trillion in 2021.”…