Dear Texas, Stop Whining and Blaming

This note is addressed to Texas, not the individual Texans who are clearly suffering from the storm, cold, lack of energy, etc.   I do not live in Texas but I do have friends there, including one who had no heat for over 30 hours.

Yes, being without power and heat for 30 or more hours is horrendous.  The lack of running water adds insult to injury.  But this is Texas, the state that regularly tells us Texans can deal with anything, that they are strong, independent, self-reliant, and capable.  So, Texas, step up and deal with this.  Show us that strength that you are always bragging about.

That may seem a little harsh, but what I am tired of is all the whining and laying of blame.  This is a storm.  An unlikely storm for Texas, but simply a winter storm nonetheless.  It was a storm that Texas, like the rest of the nation, knew was coming.

Texas, you knew what your energy sources and their capabilities were or were not.  Yet your leaders, especially those who make your state’s energy decisions, seem to have had no realistic plan whatsoever to deal with the storm.

The Right wants to blame this crisis entirely on the renewable energy turbines that froze when needed most.   In true form, the Left claims the problems was the result of not enough renewables.  In reality, neither is to blame.   Yes, the frozen turbines show us that we are not yet ready to switch to 100% renewables, but I believe every power plan whether in one’s own home or state or country needs to be a mix of a variety of energy sources both renewable and non-renewable. 

While I am no fan of wind turbines (they murder hordes of birds, aren’t that efficient, and use enormous amounts of non-renewable energy to build), these Texas windmills provide only around 25% or less of the Texas power grid.   And, more importantly, it was Texas (specifically its energy decisionmakers) that made the decision to install them.  The frozen turbines lowered the energy available to Texas during this storm, but informed Texas energy managers should have known this would happen and have made plans to deal with it that went beyond 30-hour blackouts. 

Others want to blame the various energy lobbies or subsidies and other incentives for causing Texas to install an energy plan that is not right for Texas.  What?  Texas, the state that is always proclaiming its strength of individual responsibility and ability to think for itself suddenly wants to throw blame elsewhere for its own bad decisions?  Maybe Texas isn’t really that different from the rest of the nation.

Instead of whining, why not take this as an opportunity to learn.  Homeowners, make sure you have diverse energy sources in your home:  gas, electric, and a wood burning fireplace or stove.  Have some basic contingency plans and emergency items on hand. 

Energy providers, get your energy from diverse sources in a mix that works for the region that you serve.  And have contingency plans.  And, when you have a week or so notice of a severe weather event as you did here, don’t ignore that warning.  Do what is necessary to make good and realistic emergency plans considering what your energy situation is.

The problems in Texas are the result of Texas decisions and are not the fault of anyone else or of the operational behavior of any particular energy source.  It’s simple.  Texas made bad decisions about its grid and bad decisions about how to deal with that grid’s shortcomings in the face of a weather emergency.

When this is all over you can look at that energy situation and improve what needs to be improved.  But don’t blame your failure to have a plan on what is perhaps a bigger but definitely separate failing of not developing the proper plan and/or not maintaining the sources that you have.

Most importantly, stop whining.  Stop blaming.  Man up.  Be the Texas you always claim you are.  And Texans, once you warm up show us that you are the independent and individually responsible folks that your state brags you to be.  You can educate yourselves about your state’s energy plans as well as your energy decision makers and then vote for those who will stand up, take responsibility, and do what is right for you, their constituents, and for your state of Texas.