Reckoning with the Tragedy of the Texas Freeze

The 2021 Texas deep freeze has not only led to billions of dollars in damage but has also been the cause of more than 30 deaths — and these figures only include what has been reported thus far. But there is much debate over who is to blame for the mass power outages, burst pipes, shortages of food and water, and loss of life.

It has been found that the primary cause of the power outages was a failure on the part of power companies to invest in the state’s infrastructure by winterizing it. Despite the root of the problem being known, The Washington Post reported that many remain skeptical about whether any real change will come, which is an understandable sentiment since, to date, no one will own up to the blame.

For instance, the operator of the grid, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas ­(ERCOT), reportedly claims that power suppliers are more to blame than it is. Meanwhile, others point fingers at the Public Utility Commission of Texas, which is in charge of overseeing ERCOT, and claim that it should have strictly regulated power suppliers to ensure that such a failure would not occur in the first place. Either way, the damage has already been done.

The Washington Post further reported that although the weather is returning to normal, the dramatic changes in temperature are causing more pipes to burst, as well as the development of potholes. Thus, the destruction that could have been prevented is far from over, and something must be done in order to mitigate any chances of it happening again in the future.

To stay in a mood of inactive optimism or overwhelming pessimism will not do anyone any good; change will only come if we fight for it. That is why Robins Cloud LLP is accepting Texas freeze cases. We are committed to being a part of the solution and will fight to hold the negligent power companies accountable for their actions. If you or a loved one was injured amid the historic Texas storm, contact our compassionate attorneys online today.