ABC Broadcasting today (22nd) said that a woman filed a lawsuit for damages of 110 billion won against a power company in the state of Texas, USA, where an unusual cold wave hit and caused a massive blackout. Reported.
The woman named Maria Pineda, who immigrated to the United States two years ago, charged $100 million against the power company ERCOT to compensate her son’s death.
Pineda’s son Christian died in a mobile home outside Houston on the 16th after a blackout due to a cold wave.
Pineda died in the warden, “Christian, who was healthy enough to have a snowball fight the day before his death, was wrapped in a blanket with his three-year-old brother in bed to endure the cold with body temperature. No response when waking up, so he called 911 and performed CPR but died.” I explained the process.
Pineda insisted that the power company neglected the welfare of residents and ignored prior recommendations to prepare the grid for winter by putting profits first.
“At least a week ago there was a forecast that the weather was going to get worse, and I knew that the grid was not ready for this situation in the last decade or so, but ERCOT has not taken precautions.”
The police said on the ABC broadcast that “the survivors claim that the child died, but the cause of death according to the autopsy result has not been confirmed.”
ERCOT responded according to procedures such as a review of the director, saying, “Because the operation of private power generation companies was shut down on the morning of the 15th, our power grid operators made the right choice to avoid power outages across the state.”
In response, Pineda’s attorney said, “The supply of electricity to those who were most vulnerable to the cold wave at the time was interrupted.”
The lawyer said, “The Pineda family was unable to power and heat for two days when the temperature was below -10 degrees Celsius.”
Texas is a place that operates independently of the power grid with other states.
According to the New York Times (NYT), ERCOT is responsible for managing the wholesale electricity market in Texas.
Although legally established as a non-profit company, it is monitored by the Texas Public Goods Commission (PUC), unlike other state power supply companies controlled by the federal government.
(Photo = Getty Image Korea)