One Year After the Texas Blackout: Lessons for Reliable and Resilient Power Systems

Abstract

In February 2021, Texas experienced an extreme cold snap causing a dramatic electricity blackout that left millions of households without electricity, resulting in over 200 fatalities and economic damages of approximately $100 billion. The Texas blackout has been used to support a variety of claims regarding renewable energy, electricity markets and climate change. We identify the blackout’s drivers and what has been learned since then. These lessons apply to power systems worldwide, including those of the Gulf Cooperation Council and the broader Middle East and North Africa region.