In its first major test since crashing last winter, the Texas power grid held steady as Winter Storm Landon swept through the state late Wednesday, leaving snow, ice, and sub-freezing temperatures. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), the state’s independent power grid operator, reported demand peaked at nearly 69,000 megawatts Friday morning—a number that triggered a blackout last year which left millions in the dark for days and contributed to hundreds of deaths. In a live news conference Friday on the Texas response to Winter Storm Landon, Gov. Greg Abbott credited the grid’s strength to a variety of proactive strategies including winterization, the availability of alternate fuels, the designation of natural gas facilities as critical infrastructure, and a 15 percent increase in power generation capacity compared to last year. “The Texas power grid is more reliable and resilient than it has ever been, and we are continuing to actively …