Texas Power Grid Failure

Below-freezing temperatures in Texas that caused widespread property damage, business closures, injuries and deaths have led to lawsuits against Electric Reliability Council of Texas Inc. (ERCOT) and Houston-based utility CenterPoint Energy Inc. Texas residents and businesses have filed gross negligence and willful misconduct claims and potential class actions. Injury and death from the cold, and harm caused by medical device failure as a result of power loss, have led to personal injury lawsuits. As well, economic losses have resulted in denied insurance complaints.
ERCOT, which oversees the distribution of electricity around the state, and local power company CenterPoint are accused of failing to adequately assess electricity needs ahead of Winter Storm Uri, which brought record-breaking low temperatures to Texas on February 14, and failing to obtain additional electricity to meet increased demand for power to heat homes.
 

Warnings Ignored

In 1989, a bout of cold weather that caused power failures across Texas fueled a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) study explaining how to avoid a similar disaster in the future by winterizing equipment. In 2011 when inclement weather caused blackouts, the FERC again warned Texas power companies and regulators that their equipment needed to be winterized. Both reports were largely ignored.
 

Insurance Companies Deny Claims

Power and heat loss has severely damaged businesses and homes. Many homeowners dealing with burst pipes, flooded floors and collapsed ceilings have been denied claims by their insurance companies.
 

Texas Power Grid Failure Legal Help

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Published on Feb-20-21