21 Die in Unprecedented Cold Wave in Texas, US...Damage Spreads Due to Massive Power Outage

Wind Power Fails to Withstand Extreme Cold... Major Blackout in US Largest Power Production Area
Over 4 Million People Affected by Outage... Risk of Death from Cold in Darkness Grows

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Texas, known as the largest power producer in the United States, experienced a massive blackout due to a sudden cold wave, resulting in 21 reported deaths from hypothermia. The blackout occurred as wind turbine generators, responsible for more than a quarter of the state's total power, froze and malfunctioned.

According to foreign media such as CNN, on the 16th (local time), a winter storm hit Texas, causing temperatures to plummet to as low as -22 degrees Celsius. This severe cold snap led to the shutdown of major power plants, triggering a massive blackout. Currently, more than 4 million residents are affected by the power outage, with 21 reported deaths from hypothermia. CNN reported that the sudden failure of wind turbines, which supply over 25% of the state's electricity, due to the unexpected cold wave, severely worsened the power supply situation.

Texas is considered one of the regions with the most abundant power resources in the United States. Over 40% of the oil and natural gas produced in the U.S. comes from Texas, which also hosts numerous nuclear power plants and large-scale wind farms. Wind power accounts for about 28% of the state's total electricity, making it the state with the highest proportion of wind power generation in the country.

However, CNN pointed out that Texas, which is usually warm even in winter, has not designed its major infrastructure, including power plants, to withstand sudden cold waves, leading to this large-scale blackout incident.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.