The Disconnect: Power, Politics and the Texas Blackout

A huge catastrophe. Dozens dead. A city without power or water. It’s like a miniature version of the February blackouts. Except this happened more than 100 years ago in Texas — and leaders faced some of the same questions then as they do now.

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In this mini-episode, we tell what happens next if the Texas power grid were to suffer a catastrophic failure. It almost did in February — and if it had happened, there might have been an even bigger problem. Find a full transcript of this episode here.

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The story of how the worst blackout in Texas history unfolded — and left millions of people cold, hungry and with no faith in their state’s power grid. A warning: Some of what you’ll hear in this episode may be disturbing, especially if you lived through this disaster. Find a full transcript of this episode here.

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How did we get the power grid we have today? Andrew Weber has the story — and it involves football, subterfuge and a whole lot of lobbyists. You can find a full transcript of this episode here.

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It was only when the lights went out in Texas that many of us realized — electrically — we are all alone. Claire McInerny brings us that story. Plus, Jimmy Maas tells us how the electricity market in Texas used to work up until about 20 years ago. Find a full transcript of this episode here.

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Join us as we explore the reasons and decisions that ultimately left millions of Texans in the dark during the crippling winter storm of February 2021. KUT’s Mose Buchele reports on what happened, how we got the electric grid we have today and what could be done to fix it in this limited series podcast.

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