LIVE: ERCOT Officials Hold News Conference on Texas Power Outages in Austin

(Feb. 18) Watch live as officials from ERCOT will host a media call on Friday, February 19, 2021. The grid operator expects to come out of emergency conditions later today. Speakers include ERCOT President and CEO Bill Magness and Senior Director of System Operations Dan Woodfin.

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[TaimalaiX]

15:30 Translation: We don't have to have a backup system because we deregulated and created out own "market" within Texas.

[davegeorge]

Every thing I read anymore is full of comments from people who are getting tired of excuses from our government. Some accountability would be better than none. You are fired.

[angellight]

It's up to the people of Texas at this point, to demand changes and accountability, because their local government is a complete failure.

[vineyardbrad]

Never had any rolling blackouts in our part of north austin just straight blackout for days on end.

[lindacastner]

You were told 10 years ago to upgrade this grid! Why was it not You have NO excuse!

[markrivera]

Just because you haven't SEEN that type of weather doesn't mean it doesn't exist. You got caught with your pants down.

[Syrnian]

Texas lawmakers, ERCOT and power companies are 100% responsible for this and must be held accountable. A thorough investigation must be performed, followed by arrests and charges.

[georgehugh]

"Root Cause Analysis" will likely lead to a whole new ERCOT staff

[jtmh]

How can you sit there and call these rotating or rolling blackouts when people were out of power for days?

[GeorgeFarrar]

Days later and still no basic answers. Hopefully these jokers get shown the door.

[makokoro]

*the simple answer is: "we in our own turned off circuits giving a fk whose life got affected."*

[TazAdventures]

The electric companies should be prevented from raising any of their rates prior to the storm. They failed to upgrade when told to a decade ago. They need to suck it up and take their losses. They should not be allowed to profit from their negligence, or is it plain disregard for the people they serve!

[PhilMoskowitz]

Me: I spent four days in the cold and dark.

Bill Magness: I spent four days wearing this same shirt.

[mnspstudioLOST]

I understand Supply and Demand, friend.

What I don't understand is your inability to winterproof fuel lines in a state that regularly drops below zero for the last twenty years AND has the longest history with petroleum products and their cold weather issues.

What I don't understand is 2011 rolling blackouts caused absolutely zero changes on your winterization program even after seeing these same "investigations" suggested this would happen again and again until you winterize.

What I don't understand is how your nuclear reactors froze up. This one truly makes me unbelievably angry. I worked for 5 years as a Radiation Safety Officer for an Alaskan petroleum inspection crew. I understand how devastatingly bad a freeze up could be for a nuclear system. Same goes for petroleum systems. Glycol heating loops have been industry standard for decades. It's laughable that you have zero measures after so many winters with blackouts.

"We're not the regulatory commission, we're kinda like the cops."

Your own website lists you as "managing the FLOW OF ELECTRIC POWER to 26 million users". Which is it? Are you the provider, the oversight, or the rule makers? Because Coops are pretty clear that you bully them into doing whatever you want done. Sounds like you fancy yourself all three.

Oklahoma, Arkansas, New Mexico, all three share climate, terrain, and population with Texas. All three provided electric service throughout this storm. Only you faltered. You're the issue.

ERCOT doesn't have any data on how the blackouts were issued? Bullshit. You are the driving force behind the blackouts. You direct them. You aren't a hands off organization. I've dealt with you in the past. You're Bulldogs. You bark and if they don't jump, then you bite. You use strong arm tactics against your members.

Your "Transmission" section of your website lays out how you handle transmission blackouts. "We have no data" is an absolute lie. 2011 failures should haunt you, but 2021 failures should be used in your case for manslaughter.

"Mr. Madison, what you have just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."

[markrivera]

Does Canada have power outages all the time?

[smellmop]

you had one job. keep texans with electricity. if your precious grid cant handle the load of the demand then thats your fault!!

[ParkerFire]

Texas has some of the lowest cost electricity in the country because of deregulation. I don’t hear anyone saying they want to pay more which is what will happen. Just

[margilvale]

who hired ercot, that is where the problem begins. Look for those local elected officials that have no plans for emergencies.

[cutterwm]

Still haven't heard a word from Biden about this

[jeffbarron]

59 mins, I was done with this statement over the next, very soon 0:09