Texas Narrowly Avoided a Series of Rolling Blackouts This Morning

Congratulations, Texas. You successfully averted a morning of rolling power blackouts. Less than an hour after ERCOT, the state's power-grid manager, issued an emergency alert pleading with customers to conserve electricity, the declaration was rescinded after Texans rushed to lower their thermostats and turn off their gaudy LED lights...

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Congratulations, Texas. You successfully averted a morning of rolling power blackouts.

Less than an hour after ERCOT, the state’s power-grid manager, issued an emergency alert pleading with customers to conserve electricity, the declaration was rescinded after Texans rushed to lower their thermostats and turn off their gaudy LED lights.

Typically, the type of rolling blackouts predicted for this morning are reserved for summer, when air conditioners are thrumming and the state’s deregulated electricity market struggles to keep up.

The power grid typically survives the winter just fine. But — news flash — it’s cold this morning. Stupid cold, reportedly the coldest it’s been for three years, so heaters are running.