LEILA FADEL, HOST:
A powerful storm is pushing into the south to states not accustomed to prolonged cold. In Texas, state officials say they are closely watching the power grid. The Texas Newsroom's Lucio Vasquez reports.
LUCIO VASQUEZ, BYLINE: Temperatures are expected to plunge into the single digits across the southern U.S. in the coming days. That may not sound unusual in northern states, but Texas isn't exactly built for extreme cold. The main concern is the power grid's reliability.
JOSHUA RHODES: The Texas grid is really designed to operate in hot summer conditions.
VASQUEZ: Joshua Rhodes is an energy researcher at the University of Texas.
RHODES: It's just a different operating paradigm down here in Texas than it is in other regions.
VASQUEZ: The state's emergency response resources have been activated to help agencies coordinate for hazardous travel conditions and increased power demand. Forecasters say the storm will bring days of freezing temperatures and icy conditions beginning Friday. The cold's likely to linger through Monday across much of the south, including Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Missouri and Tennessee, and more states along the East Coast. The forecast could still change as the storm draws near. Meteorologist Allison Prater is with the National Weather Service.
ALLISON PRATER: There is potential for ice on power lines and roadways. How that relates to exact amounts of power outages, that still remains to be seen.
VASQUEZ: Texas, the forecast is raising concerns about possible outages similar to those seen during the February 2021 winter storm, when extreme cold led to widespread power failures across the state. Millions lost electricity for days, and more than 240 people died statewide. Texas has since weatherized its power plants to deal with extreme cold. This week, the state's grid operator said it expects to have enough electricity to keep the lights on during the storm.
For NPR News, I'm Lucio Vasquez.
(SOUNDBITE OF TAKENOBU'S "SWIMMIN'") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.