Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez weighed-in Tuesday night on the rolling blackouts plaguing Texas; saying the power outages due to frozen wind turbines are “what happens if you don’t pursue” the Green New Deal.
“The infrastructure failures in Texas are quite literally what happens when you *don’t* pursue a Green New Deal,” posted AOC on Twitter.
The infrastructure failures in Texas are quite literally what happens when you *don’t* pursue a Green New Deal.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) February 17, 2021
Weak on sweeping next-gen public infrastructure investments, little focus on equity so communities are left behind, climate deniers in leadership so they don’t long prep for disaster.
We need to help people *now.* Long-term we must realize these are the consequences of inaction.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) February 17, 2021
Governor @GregAbbott_TX told WFAA that the supply of natural gas is becoming an issue.
Natural gas is "frozen in the pipeline and frozen in the rig," Abbott said.
Could we have natural gas outages?
That gas heats home, fuels power plants. #txwx
— Jason Whitely (@JasonWhitely) February 16, 2021
We are ordering an investigation into ERCOT and immediate transparency by ERCOT. pic.twitter.com/Mt2GPlaFuE
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) February 16, 2021
“Weak on sweeping next-gen public infrastructure investments, little focus on equity so communities are left behind, climate deniers in leadership so they don’t long prep for disaster. We need to help people *now.* Long-term we must realize these are the consequences of inaction,” she added.
DEEP FREEZE, TX: 4.3 Million Lose Power, Nearly Half of Lone Star State's Wind Turbines 'Frozen'
Frigid temperatures in typically moderate Texas knocked out power for more than 4.3 million residents this week; keeping countless locals locked up in their homes as roads remain closed across the Lone Star State.
Seriously. That's the dirty little secret as to why power is out while it's 0° or lower in North Texas right now.
Frozen wind turbines..@GregAbbott_TX.https://t.co/lDZjRStJER https://t.co/ceLL8RavMt
— Just Keith / YouTube.com/AtTheMicWithKeith (@KeithMalinak) February 15, 2021
https://twitter.com/BigJoeBastardi/status/1361502642715910144?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1361502642715910144%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitchy.com%2Fgregp-3534%2F2021%2F02%2F16%2Fup-to-4-3-million-without-power-in-texas-more-than-hurricanes-harvey-laura-katrina-and-sandy-combined-texaspoweroutage%2F
https://twitter.com/BigJoeBastardi/status/1361492946978226179?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1361492946978226179%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitchy.com%2Fgregp-3534%2F2021%2F02%2F16%2Fup-to-4-3-million-without-power-in-texas-more-than-hurricanes-harvey-laura-katrina-and-sandy-combined-texaspoweroutage%2F
Over 5.1 million electric customers are without power across the USA. With 4.3 million out in #Texas, as severe winter storms continue to cause significant impacts to the electric grid. Check out https://t.co/8cAFt3zGJe for #PowerOutage information! [2021-02-15 8:40PM EST] pic.twitter.com/x2LXUaTgKz
— PowerOutage.us (@PowerOutage_us) February 16, 2021
#BREAKING: @ERCOT_ISO, the power grid operator in Texas, says about half of the wind turbine capacity (25,000-megawatts) in West Texas is not generating b/c of winter weather.
"As of this morning about half of the wind capacity was iced out," said Dan Woodfin, ERCOT.#txwx
— Jason Whitely (@JasonWhitely) February 14, 2021
The 4.3 million total is more than Hurricanes Harvey, Laura, Katrina, and Sandy COMBINED as first responders struggle to reach vulnerable citizens.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
FROZEN, USA: Oklahoma City Sees Temps Drop to Minus-14 Degrees, COLDEST SINCE 1899
Thermometers in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma dropped to the lowest levels since 1899; plunging to minus-14 degrees Fahrenheit and missing the all-time coldest record by just 2 degrees.
“Oklahoma City recorded its second-coldest temperature on record with a low of minus 14 degrees. Only a minus 17 degree reading in 1899 is colder in the city’s weather records,” reports Weather.com.
RECORD BREAKING COLD:
Oklahoma City, OK, fell to -14°—the coldest since 1899.
Lawton, OK, fell to -12°—an all-time low.
Dallas, TX, fell to -1°—the coldest since 1989.https://t.co/vHUNpMGX3L
— ABC News (@ABC) February 16, 2021
The temperature in Oklahoma City is up to 9F after bottoming out at -14F early Tuesday morning, the lowest temperature in the city since February 12, 1899: https://t.co/8b8YzIl8td pic.twitter.com/K6AdWOhquq
— Breaking Weather by AccuWeather (@breakingweather) February 16, 2021
Dallas (minus-2) and Houston (12) had their coldest mornings since at least 1989, Oklahoma City (minus-14) since 1899. https://t.co/mzqNScDOE8
— Capital Weather Gang (@capitalweather) February 16, 2021
The frigid weather also affected large sections of Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas.
Read the full report here.