The number of related deaths in the United States has risen to at least 31. With another snow storm foretold on the 18th (local time) in the south and northeast regions, controversy over the cause of a massive blackout is heating up in Texas.
The New York Times (NYT) said on the 17th that the number of people killed in winter storms has increased from eight states to at least 31. A total of more than 100 million people in the region where the cold wave warning was issued.
In Texas, a major affected area, about 3 million homes are still experiencing power outages by this evening. The US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) delivered aid supplies such as blankets and food and provided generators to hospitals as an emergency was declared in Texas.
Some conservative camps define the power outage as a’renewable energy failure’. Even though the wind power plant could not provide power 365 days a year, there was too much faith in this, and this accident occurred. In an interview with Fox News, Republican Governor Greg Abbott criticized Joe Biden’s “Green New Deal” policy, saying, “It shows the need for fossil fuels in other states as well as Texas.”
On the other hand, the Texas Electric Reliability Commission (ERCOT) said at a press conference that the cause of the power outage was the failure of natural gas, coal, and nuclear power plants.
NYT also said, “Wind power is only 7% of Texas electricity production. The real problem is that production of natural gas, which accounts for most of the electricity supply, has ceased in the cold.”
In addition, the Washington Post (WP) pointed out that “it is not a technical problem or a wind power problem.”
The problem is that another cold wave is expected within this week. NYT said, “At least 31 people have died, and there has been a disruption in the supply of the COVID-19 vaccine. It is good news that millions of people are shaking in the cold with the electricity cut off.”
According to the U.S. Meteorological Administration, a snow storm will hit some Texas, including Austin and San Antonio, from the evening of the 17th to the 18th. It is known that the cold wave will pass through the southern regions of Louisiana and Mississippi and land in the northeastern regions such as New York.
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