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Power companies aim to avoid repeat of last year's meltdown

Power companies say they are ready for approaching weather event
Posted at 6:34 AM, Jan 20, 2022
and last updated 2022-01-20 07:34:28-05

AUSTIN, Texas — The winter storm warning is triggering flashbacks to the February freeze from 2021.

And power companies are hoping to avoid a repeat.

Last year, millions of Ercot and AEP customers went without electricity for days, causing many people to die.

An investigation found that more than half of power generators that shut down, would have been able to run if key equipment and wind turbine blades were better protected against the ice and cold.

A total of 246 people across the state died during this big freeze.

That number includes two people from the Coastal Bend.

Last month, Ercot completed on-site inspections of mandatory winterization efforts.

And after checking more than 300 electric generation units, they found that they were in compliance with winterization requirements ordered by the Public Utilities Commission.