The shortage forced Vistra to pay more than $1.5 billion on the spot market for whatever gas was available, costing it in a matter of days more than twice what it usually spends in an entire year. Natural gas slowed to a trickle during the storm, leaving the Midlothian facility and 13 other Vistra power plants that run on gas without enough fuel. That’s because the state still hasn’t fixed the critical problem that paralyzed his plants: maintaining a sufficient supply of natural gas, Morgan said. No matter what Morgan does, however, it won’t be enough to prevent another disaster if there is another severe freeze, he said. Energy providers like Vistra are preparing their plants for extreme weather after the February winter storm. An employee of Vistra Corp.’s Midlothian Power Plant in Midlothian, Texas, adjusts the wiring of a power unit Oct. At the company’s plant in Midlothian, southwest of Dallas, workers have wrapped electric cables with 3 inches of rubber insulation and built enclosures to help shield valves, pumps and metal pipes. His company has spent $50 million this year preparing more than a dozen of its plants for winter. Greg Abbott said, “Everything that needed to be done was done to fix the power grid.”īut Morgan isn’t so sure. Since the storm, Texas legislators have passed measures to make the grid more resilient during freezing weather. The state’s grid neared complete collapse, millions of customers lost power for days in subfreezing temperatures, and more than 200 people died.
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