Poll shows low trust in ERCOT by Texans
Nearly 70% of Texans have low trust in the statewide electric grid operator and the stability of the system it oversees, according to a poll by a DallasFort Worth power company. Beyond emotional distress, that lack of confidence leads to Texans spending more to prepare for severe weather.
Payless Power, an electric company providing service in 400 communities across the state, conducted the survey to determine how Texans responded to and prepared for January’s arctic blast. While the Electric Reliability Council of Texas kept lights and heaters on during the freeze, respondents made it clear they’re still harboring fears from the near collapse of the grid during the winter storm of February 2021.
One in three Texans said they still experience major anxiety about past winter storms and their aftermath. The 2021 deep freeze caused dayslong mass power outages, disrupted and crippled water supplies, and led to the deaths of 246 Texans.
“While Texans continue to adapt to and overcome these harsh weather conditions, the importance of a robust, trustworthy energy infrastructure has never been more apparent,” Payless Power, which is known for its prepaid billing options, said in a statement. “This leaves us wondering about the future of energy reliability in Texas and the role each citizen plays in this evolving narrative.”
Only 11% of respondents said they had high trust in ERCOT to do its job; 19% said they were neutral.
After the 2021 storm, ERCOT got a new CEO, appointed a new board of directors and increased oversight from a reformed board of state utility regulators. Since then, the grid has been adding more supply, including a rapid increase in solar
energy, which has provided a needed cushion during peaks in demand. Still, as ERCOT headed into January, its own analysis found that a deep freeze brought a 20.6% chance for a grid emergency that could lead to blackouts.
Such weather in February brings an 11.4% chance of emergency conditions.
Beyond their lingering concern, nearly 60% of respondents in the survey said they spent more money to be better prepared for last month’s freeze than they had for previous winter cold snaps or storms. Texans who made purchases to prepare for the storm spent an average of $168, the survey found. The vast majority, 73%, said they bought food and water; 45% said they bought heating supplies such as space heaters or firewood; and 36% said they bought emergency power equipment such as generators to keep the heat on during a blackout.
As February begins, forecasters say another cold snap is unlikely — though it’s difficult to forecast possible weather patterns more than two weeks ahead.
Payless Power said it surveyed 1,006 Texans about their experiences during last month’s freeze and their sentiment about ERCOT. The results have a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.