Extraordinary Big Snow in Texas
Increased power demand, limited transmission…2.6 million people exposed to cold
Oilfield and natural gas pipes also freeze and stop
In Austin, Texas, a citizen is snowboarding on the street. [이미지출처=AP연합뉴스]
[아시아경제 뉴욕=백종민 특파원] Due to the unprecedented strong cold that hit the central and southern regions of the United States such as Texas, there are concerns about serious damage, such as limited power transmission in 14 states. As the operations of oil fields and refineries are also paralyzed, the industrial sector is also inevitable.
On the 15th (local time), the U.S. Meteorological Agency issued a winter storm warning in 25 states, from Maine near the eastern Canadian border to central and southern Texas. 150 million inhabitants, nearly half of the U.S. population, were affected by the cold wave warning. Seven state governments, including Alabama, Oregon, Oklahoma, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Texas, have declared a state of emergency in preparation for a cold wave. In Minnesota, the temperature dropped to -38 degrees below zero.
Texas, the usual mild climate, has been hit hardest. In Dallas, northern Texas, a record cold of -22 degrees Celsius hit. A lot of snow fell in Austin, the state of Texas, where many global semiconductor companies such as Samsung Electronics are located. Texas authorities estimated that the cold and snow damage would reach the level of a Grade 4 hurricane.
With a lot of snow, traffic was paralyzed, and many residents had great difficulty securing food and gasoline. Airports in major Texas regions, such as Houston, were shut down, trapping travelers. State Defense Forces have also been summoned to rescue drivers isolated in the snow. President Joe Biden also declared an emergency a day ago to support the cold wave damage in Texas, but it was not enough to prevent the spread of the damage.
The state of Texas entered an emergency circular blackout for 2.6 million households as electricity consumption increased during the winter storm. The Associated Press reported that a significant number of residents are experiencing extreme cold due to limited power outages. Southwest Powerful, which supplies power to 14 states, also announced limited transmission.
The industry is also being hit. Power outages and extreme cold shut down Texas oilfields, refineries and natural gas litigation pipes.
New York = correspondent Baek Jong-min [email protected]