Winter storm triggers power outage in Texas, causes severe temperature drop

A winter storm that caused a severe temperature drop in the southern Plains triggered  a power emergency in Texas on Monday, reported USA Today. The outage comes a day after several flights were cancelled and traffic was affected across the US due to the deteriorating conditions. 

Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) on Monday initiated rotating power outages that resulted in several residents going without electricity for short intervals while temperatures dropped near Dallas and Houston.

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ERCOT, which manages the flow of electric power in Texas said, “ERCOT manages the flow of electric power in. Traffic lights and other infrastructure may be temporarily without power.”

People in Houston were warned by officials to be prepared for outages and hazardous roads, preparations that are similar in case of a Category 5 hurricane. According to Houston Fire Chief Samuel Pena, almost 120 crashes, that included a 10-car pileup on I-45 were reported on Sunday.

US President Joe Biden on Sunday declared an emergency in Texas and ordered federal assistance to aid state and local response efforts.