âTexas Gridâ does not cover all of Texas, Panhandle in better shape
KFDA NEWS AT SIX - VOD - clipped version By Freixys Casado | February 18, 2021 at 7:05 PM CST - Updated February 18 at 10:30 PM
AMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) - While thousands of Texans continue to be without power, most of the panhandle seems to be in better shape.
The United States is divided by three power grids. The Eastern Grid, the Western Grid and the Texas Grid, also refer to as ERCOT.
âTexas by itself is one of the largest consumer of electricity,â said Dr. Joshua Partheepan, assistant professor of systems of engineering at WTAMU. âThatâs one of the primary drivers why Texas wanted to become its own utility.â
Preparation key for those depending on oxygen tanks during power outages
VIDEO: Preparation key for those depending on oxygen tanks during power outages By Vania Patino | February 17, 2021 at 9:50 PM CST - Updated February 17 at 10:17 PM
AMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) - Power outages in the area have caused concern among those who rely on electric oxygen machines to breathe.
Randol Barnhill is a 59-year-old Amarillo resident with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
He uses his oxygen concentrator all day and all night. He says it was seven in the morning when the power went off and he was still sleeping.
“I was unprepared, I didn’t know it was going off. I woke up and all of a sudden, the house is quiet, my oxygen is turned off and then I start panicking because I am worried about myself and my health you know,” said Barnhill.
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City officials took some time during Wednesday’s COVID-19 news conference to give an update on the energy situation affecting the Texas Panhandle as inclement winter weather continues across the region.
This comes after city of Amarillo and Canyon officials, as well as representatives from Potter and Randall counties, came together Tuesday evening in a news conference to plead with members of the community to conserve energy resources to the maximum extent until the weather passes.