IN THE DARK

Texas Officials Have No Idea When Millions of People Will Have Their Power Restored

Gov. Greg Abbott is placing blame on energy providers, saying they’re failing to provide clear answers to him or to the public.

Millions of people in Texas are still without power as a record-shattering and life-threatening winter storm blasts their state—and they’ve been told that there’s no fixed end in sight. Bill Magness, president of ERCOT, the nonprofit that oversees the state’s electric grid, appeared on NBC 5 on Tuesday to explain himself as he faces mounting criticism. While he said bringing people back online is his top priority, Magness admitted that he doesn’t have the info to tell people when they can expect to have their power back and be able to heat their homes, saying he cannot “tell you honestly that it’s going to be ‘X’ number of people on a certain date.” Texas Gov. Greg Abbott hit out at ERCOT, saying it had “been anything but reliable over the past 48 hours,” and adding: “They are not providing clear answers to me or to the public... And the public has a right to know.” Meanwhile, the Texas Tribune reported that parents in Texas are being forced to burn their belongings in fireplaces to keep their children warm.