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Power Emergency Declared In Texas To “Mitigate Blackouts” – Thousands Impacted By Winter Storm
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) declared an emergency order “for the deployment of backup generation resources in order to mitigate blackouts in Texas during Winter Storm Fern.”
“Issued pursuant to Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act, the order authorizes the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) to deploy backup generation resources at data centers and other major facilities. Today’s action follows a letter Secretary Wright sent Thursday to grid operators asking them to be prepared to use backup generation if needed to mitigate the risk of blackouts during the storm,” the DOE stated in a release.
“DOE estimates more than 35 GW of unused backup generation remains available nationwide. The order will help ERCOT with the extreme temperatures and storm destruction across Texas and reduce costs for Americans during the winter storm,” it continued.
Texas grid holding steady as DOE order lets ERCOT tap backup generators.
The federal government issued an emergency order Saturday that could help Texas avoid blackouts as a massive winter storm continues to move across the state. https://t.co/MSCUJQQfwA
— Texas Tribune (@TexasTribune) January 25, 2026
More from the Department of Energy:
On day one, President Trump declared a national energy emergency after the Biden administration’s energy subtraction agenda left behind a grid increasingly vulnerable to blackouts. According to the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), “Winter electricity demand is rising at the fastest rate in recent years,” while the premature forced closure of reliable generation such as coal and natural gas plants leaves American families vulnerable to power outages. The NERC 2025 – 2026 Winter Reliability Assessment further warns that areas across the continental United States have an elevated risk of blackouts during extreme weather conditions.
Power outages cost the American people $44 billion per year, according to data from DOE’s National Laboratories. This order will help mitigate power outages in Texas and highlights the commonsense policies of the Trump Administration to ensure Americans have access to affordable, reliable and secure electricity.
The order is in effect from January 24—January 27, 2026.
“The Trump administration is committed to unleashing all available power generation needed to keep Americans safe during Winter Storm Fern,” Energy Secretary Chris Wright said.
“Unfortunately, the last administration had the nation on track to lose significant amounts of baseload power, but we are doing everything in our power to reverse those reckless decisions. The Trump administration will continue taking action to ensure that the 35 GW of untapped backup generation that exists across the country can be deployed as needed during Winter Storm Fern and in the future,” he added.
The emergency order comes as thousands of Texans have lost power during the winter storm.
“Winter storm pushes nearly 96,000 homes and businesses offline statewide Sunday, with East Texas hit hardest — Nacogdoches, Cherokee, and Shelby counties see tens of thousands dark,” The Dallas Express News wrote.
“DFW metro remains largely stable with minimal outages. ERCOT grid stays normal with ample reserves — no emergency operations or rotating blackouts expected,” it added.
TEXAS POWER OUTAGES CLIMB TO SIX FIGURES: Winter storm pushes nearly 96,000 homes and businesses offline statewide Sunday, with East Texas hit hardest — Nacogdoches, Cherokee, and Shelby counties see tens of thousands dark.
DFW metro remains largely stable with minimal outages.… pic.twitter.com/Y5pMifk6t2
— The Dallas Express News (@DallasExpress) January 25, 2026
CBS News shared further:
As of 2 p.m., over 21,000 Texas Oncor customers are without power, with the majority in East Texas, south of Tyler, according to the outage map.
In the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, about 3,000 customers are without power. That includes Tarrant County, where over 700 customers are in the dark, and Dallas County, where nearly 900 remain without power and Collin County, where a little over 100 are without power.
Ahead of the storm Friday, Oncor told CBS News Texas that it activated its storm‑readiness operations, increasing the number of response teams and on-site crews to help restore power.
The company’s biggest concern is neighborhoods where trees may be close to power lines, because after the freezing that occurred overnight, ice-coated branches and limbs can snap easily and bring down lines beneath them. And even a half an inch can add as much as 500 pounds of extra weight to power lines.
As crews work to repair lines and respond to power outages quickly in the DFW area, officials are urging customers to monitor weather alerts and potential service disruptions.
“Customers can also sign up for MyOncor alerts by texting REG to 66267 and we will send them personalized notifications… about outage impacts to their specific address… put together a family emergency plan, as well as storm safety kit, blankets, bottled water… flashlights, just in case you need to withstand an extended time without power,” said Andrew Clark, an Oncor spokesperson.
The wintry mix is expected to taper off Sunday, and the extreme cold will last through Tuesday this week, continuing the threat of freezing across North Texas.
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