In case others need an Explain Like I'm 5 version of the power outages:
- Texas Republicans decided to make their own power grid separate from the rest of the US
- They handed ONCOR (company) responsibility for the power grid for Texas

(1/14)

- ONCOR barely meets standards. Wind and solar power are added but not enough to beat coal power
- TX Gov decides not to ice-proof wind turbines
- TX Republicans scoff at California's "green energy" for underperformance
- The coldest ring of hell hits Friday (2/12)

(2/14)

- Texas roads ice over
- Snow plows unable to reach everywhere
- Houses are not insulated for cold weather
- Water pipes burst
- Without salted roads, drivers crash frequently. Roads are closed
- The snow makes seeing while driving difficult. Schools/businesses close

(3/14)

- Everyone in Texas is using electric power to fuel heat in their homes
- Wind turbines are frozen
- Solar panels ineffective without the sun
- Coal plants struggle with equipment not built to survive cold temps & ice
- Power grid severely crippled with low generation

(4/14)

- Desperate to prevent total outage, ONCOR starts "rotating blackouts" (brownouts)
- Parts of S. TX experience outages for over a day. Same in N. counties. Warming centers unable to keep up
- Poor and old neighborhoods struggle. Some sleep in their cars

(5/14)

- People fill up bathtubs and leave faucets dripping to prevent water pipe bursts
- Reports of electric transformers (used to power neighborhoods) blowing or breaking
- Major cities (Dallas, Houston, Austin, San Antonio) stay lit while others freeze

(6/14)

- Enough outcry finally makes big city towers and buildings shut off
- Hospitals and medical districts remain completely unaffected
- Some neighborhoods don't lose power at all. Highland Park (a rich neighborhood) never loses power, causing accusations of classism

(7/14)

- States such as Oklahoma start having ACTUAL brownouts to help TX power grid catch up
- Power slowly restores, but incoming Hell Freezes Over 2: Electric Outage Boogaloo on Tuesday night threatens more cold and outages
- Some are saying outages might last til Friday

(8/14)

- "Rotating" outages in Texas are resulting in complete darkness for days in large locations. Rotating outages are meant to be temporary and randomized. Everyone calls bullshit
- TX Republicans blame solar & wind power for failure to perform despite no winter protection

(9/14)

- People in Maine point out their wind turbines work just fine in cold temps bc of ice protection
- Solar-powered houses point out they haven't lost power
- TX Republicans beg for help from the govt
- Biden announces state emergency for TX

(10/14)

- Governor of Texas decides to dodge responsibility, instead doesn't do anything to help
- Other political and social figures work to provide shelter
- We're getting tired of being scoffed at for not preparing for temps & weather we haven't had in over a decade

(11/14)

- In fact we rarely go below 40°F(4°C) in our coldest winters
- We never get snow like this
- Some places have reached as low as -2°F(-18°C)
- Don't expect desert dwellers to know how to handle Arctic temperatures please
- Yes this is global warming, explanation below

(12/14)

- Hotter temperatures cause melting ice caps, hotter summers
- Heat pushes the jet stream (swirling air between Arctic cold air and Tropical hot air) further South
- jet stream reaches Texas when it's normally only N. US impacted
- Typically hot climate is now freezing

(13/14)

- No, this is not normal. No, this doesn't happen
- Please help us survive by providing advice, if you are used to regular snowy winters
- Fuck TX Republicans
- Gov. Abbott is a lil bitch and I can say that cause I live in N. Dallas

Hope that explains everything.

(14/14)