America’s energy crisis leaves 4 million people in total darkness

(Bloomberg) – The energy crisis that has crippled Texas’ power system and pushed energy prices to record highs is deepening with at least four million people in the central United States in total darkness in teams to avoid the total collapse of their networks. businesses, from North Dakota to Texas, are running out of power amid record freezing temperatures in hundreds of places. Network administrators can’t say exactly when the power outages will end and cold temperature forecasts remain until Wednesday Medical centers are rushing to administer vaccines before they deteriorate. The flights are on the ground. More than a million barrels of oil a day and 10 billion cubic feet of gas production are shut down, as pipelines have declared force majeure and massive refineries shut down gasoline and diesel production. United States President Joe Biden has approved a declaration of emergency for Texas, and made the necessary resources available to deal with the problem. “We could stay in this situation until Thursday,” said Lanny Nickell, the agency’s director of operations. which manages the southwestern United States power grid spanning 14 states The cold snap is just the latest in a series of extreme weather events that have caused power grids to fail and disrupt energy markets around the world, from Japan to Pakistan and France in recent months. All highlighted how vulnerable the world has become to an increasingly unpredictable climate due to climate change and the situation has raised questions about the global push to electrify everything from transportation to heating and cooling. As of Monday, more than 3.8 million homes and businesses were without power in Texas, according to blackout data compiled by Poweroutage.us. Another 225,000 were in Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana and elsewhere. In Mexico, at least 400,000 homes and businesses have been affected after the power shortage in Texas caused cascading blackouts. By noon, about 60% of those affected in Mexico had their electricity restored, according to network operator Cenace. While temperatures are expected to rise, the weather in the central United States will remain extremely harsh this week. Dallas, where a minimum temperature of 2 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 17 degrees Celsius) was forecast Monday night, will reach 29 degrees Fahrenheit on Wednesday, the National Weather Service said. However, temperatures will drop again from Thursday. Current weather conditions are extremely rare, especially in Texas. In Houston, the state’s largest city, roads froze and people braved long lines to fill household propane containers. The traffic and street lights are weak. The firewood is running out. Grocery stores are running out of basic items, including milk. In addition to the human impact, cold is wreaking havoc in the energy industry. U.S. oil production fell from 1.5 million barrels to 1.7 million barrels per day, allowing U.S. crude prices to trade above $ 60 per barrel for the first time in more than ‘a year. The region’s refining complex, which produces nearly half of the country’s fuel, struggles to continue operating without electricity. Some of the largest oil refineries have shut down entirely, threatening to cut gasoline and diesel supplies across the United States. Dan Woodfin, senior director of the Texas Electrical Reliability Council, said Monday that the continuation of the blackouts would likely last “all Tuesday.” more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted source of business news. © 2021 Bloomberg LP

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