Energy Generators Were Paid To Shut Off Power During Texas Winter Storm

As millions of Texans were struggling to stay warm during February's blackouts, energy suppliers around the state were paid to shut off their power.

Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin released a report this month identifying what caused the blackouts during a historic winter storm. The 100-page report says that there was no single issue to blame, but multiple factors, including some power generators not being prepared for freezing temperatures.

It also found that 67 power generators were paid by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas to have their power cut during an emergency. Most were gas refining and pipeline infrastructure locations.

Five of these locations were later identified "as critical natural gas infrastructure."

“It does seem counterintuitive from a reliability aspect that locations that are associated with getting fuel to power plants would be allowed to be turned off during the times when they are needed the most,” Joshua D. Rhodes told WFAA. He is a research associate in mechanical engineering and one of the study's co-authors.

Neither ERCOT or the state named the companies that were shut down during the historic winter storm.

“We do not know who they were, or necessarily where they were,” he said.

The Texas Department of State Health Services also released on Tuesday, July 13, an updated death count related to the February storms. At least 210 Texans died from Feb. 11 to March 5, mostly due to hypothermia, the Dallas Morning News reported.