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It’s a Friday!
Hello, Curse and Coffee friends,
Today, we explore Winter Storm Fern.
Hit reply and let us know what you think (we read all of your kind words).
Coffee at the ready…
The Big Sip
The take: Texas added 40,000 megawatts since 2021, but reserve margins dropped from 17.5% to 10.1% while demand jumped 20%.
What happened: Governor Abbott declared emergencies in 134 Texas counties on Thursday as Winter Storm Fern barrels toward more than 200 million Americans, bringing crippling ice and up to a foot of snow.
Why it matters: The 2021 freeze killed at least 246 Texans and cost somewhere between $80 billion and $195 billion, depending on who's counting. Officials swear it can't happen again.
What to watch: ERCOT's "Weather Watch" runs through January 27. If ice downs local lines instead of crashing the grid, officials claim victory while neighbourhoods sit in the dark.
The grid might hold. Your transformer? That's between you and a tree branch. If you're in the path: charge everything, fill the tub, find your nearest warming centre.
Sponsor Break
Before we slurp into today’s brew…
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