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There are local failures all the time. The real question is, why did they cascade and bring down the whole system. Other articles suggest that the system where the failure started neglected to inform neighboring systems, so they could have started to shed loads or prepare themselves for what was coming. I'm an amateur at this, but as I understand it the mathematics of large grid systems like this are exceedingly complicated.

I know a little about this stuff, but a long way from the "special expertise" level.

The real question as I see it is why the cascade failure? Obvously when that western Ohio line went down causing the reversal of flow with Michigan the line to Michigan should have tripped. Ohio was trying to keep power to the Cleveland area too long. Lots and lots of protection relays never tripped. Maybe hundreds. Very odd. Makes one suspect the grid operators have been setting them higher so they won't trip, and then crossing the fingers. Finally didn't work.

In general, the grid is set up to
1. protect the generating and transmission equipment
2. provide powers to customers

All of the various shutdowns did the job of protecting the equipment.

I don't know why everyday localized shutdowns caused a nationwide failure, but I fear that the changes the Feds want to put in will end up preventing companies from getting off the grid in emergencies. That would cause damage to the equipment (generators trying to run at the wrong frequency, transmission lines handling too much power) and what required hitting the reset button this time will cause a much longer term failure next time as major equipment has to be repaired or replaced.

One of the things which need to be done is building more localized power generation, so the regional grid is used for temporary generation/use imbalances instead of constant movement of power from one area to another. Another is a quicker restart cycle if the grid shuts down again, so a regional power outage lasts an hour instead of a day.