Anger over power outages boils as Beryl leaves Houston reeling

Washington Post ^ | 07/12/2024 | Molly Hennessy-Fiske, Evan Halper and Scott Dance

[ChicagoConservative27]

HOUSTON — Half a million Texans are expected to suffer through sweltering heat with no electricity into early next week after Hurricane Beryl knocked out power throughout the Houston area Monday, generating anger at the region’s large utility for failing to defend the grid from a predictable summer storm.

Food is spoiling in dormant refrigerators days after the Category 1 hurricane tore through power lines and utility poles. Hospitals are swarming with patients struggling with heat stroke. Businesses can’t function as residents are ordered to stay home, and many residents faced at least three or four more days of continued suffering.

“We don’t have anything to eat,” said Nelsey Alvarez, 34, a single mother from Honduras who said she had never faced such a power crisis in her native country, where hurricanes are common. “When they lose power, they restore it the same day.”

[ChicagoConservative27]

Where does the fault lay?? Houston just can't get its &*^7 together when storms happen?

[rktman]

Just think they’d be okay if the 30 million acre wind farm had been in place already.......oh. Hmmmm. Cat5 vs wind turbines............

[Parley Baer]

I read a story about people with electric vehicles who could not charge them. The had to drive their ICE cars.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

They had over a week to prepare; the storm started way out in the Atlantic off of South America so they had plenty of time. Plus this isn’t their 1st rodeo. Maybe Governor Wheelchair will make some changes.

[Governor Dinwiddie]

People need to have their own backup plan. A cheap 5K BTU window air conditioner only draws about 500 watts. A Harbor Freight cheap 2000 watt gas generator is about $500.

[mewzilla]

What is the citizenry’s excuse for not prepping ahead of time?

Anyone depending upon the government to save them from their own foolishness deserves what they get.

[kaktuskid]

Actually the storm was supposed to enter at the Texas/Mexico border, but it changed suddenly.

[GenXPolymath]

Anyone who lives in hurricane country and doesn’t have a plan b is a fool. Having lived trough Alicia in the rice paddies of rural Katy we lost power for a MONTH after Alicia. We had a natural gas whole house generator so it was a non issue but some of the neighbors had to move away from the area for that month. Harbor freight has trifuel 15,000 watt generators for under 3 grand that also function as a dang fine campsite or cabin power source when run on propane or petrol. Anyone who doesn’t prep is a fool period.

[plain talk]

““We don’t have anything to eat,” said Nelsey Alvarez, 34, a single mother from Honduras who said she had never faced such a power crisis in her native country, where hurricanes are common. “When they lose power, they restore it the same day.””

I have a solution to her problem.

[Political Junkie Too]

It was forecast to hit the eastern coast of Mexico until the last day, when it swerved east instead of west. Then they said it was heading for Corpus Christi.

We really had about one day's notice that it was coming our way.

-PJ

[Political Junkie Too]

It's looking more like Centerpoint pulled a PG&E and diverted tree abatement spending to other "priorities."

-PJ

[AnotherUnixGeek]

“We don’t have anything to eat,” said Nelsey Alvarez, 34, a single mother from Honduras who said she had never faced such a power crisis in her native country, where hurricanes are common. “When they lose power, they restore it the same day.”

If we didn't have to spend billions upon billions on illegal aliens, maybe we could afford to fix our infrastructure. Speaking of which, Ms Alvarez...

[Responsibility2nd]

“We don’t have anything to eat,” said Nelsey Alvarez, 34, a single mother from Honduras who said she had never faced such a power crisis in her native country, where hurricanes are common. “When they lose power, they restore it the same day.”

______________________________________________________

Then may I suggest you return to from whence you came.

[Fledermaus]

You fall for climate change crap, you get it and then complain?

Beyond idiocy.

[Allegra]

[lepton]

Yes, they knew that the storm existed. No, they didn’t have warning for a week that it was going to be anywhere near Houston. A few days before, Beryl was projected to cross the Yucatan.

There seem to be other deficiencies, but that complaint seems pretty flat.

[lewislynn]

Oh lucky you! you found a thread where you can knock a wheel chair bound peron.

What a douche bag!

Totally uncalled for by an imbecile that thinks a Governor not only provides electricity but controls the weather.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

How much fuel would you need to get one of those babies running for a month?

[Allegra]

“We don’t have anything to eat,” said Nelsey Alvarez, 34, a single mother from Honduras who said she had never faced such a power crisis in her native country, where hurricanes are common. “When they lose power, they restore it the same day.”

Then why are you here? 🤷🏻‍♀️

[Mogger]

From the article, how do you defend a grid from a hurricane?

Other than removing trees or burying lines, what can you do?