Strengthening Grid Resilience: Lessons from the Texas Power Blackout and Implications

Growing electricity demands and extreme weather require resilience strategies for energy communities. The Texas power blackout in February 2021 exemplifies the severe impacts of extreme weather on such systems. This paper explores the event, investigating its causes, constraints, financial implications, and political effects. An analysis reveals limitations in generation capacity and over-reliance on specific power sources. Improved regulatory practices, energy source diversification, and preparation for extreme weather conditions are necessary to strengthen grid resilience. Financial impacts are analyzed, including the rise in electricity costs during the crisis and potential cost reduction strategies. The role of state-wide winterization of power infrastructure to enhance resilience is emphasized. The paper concludes with a discussion on potential policy and power system management implications of the findings.