Deadly Houston Windstorm Estimated to Have Caused $5B to $7B in Damage: AccuWeather

Grants to harden homes in OK

AccuWeather, an Eyewitness News partner, revealed a price tag of $5 billion to $7 billion for the damage caused when a powerful storm line pushed across the Houston metropolitan area. As of Friday, seven people were killed throughout the city and Harris County.

Power Outages, Brownouts a Growing Concern Amid Record-Breaking High Temperatures

Strengthening US power grid

Extreme heat early in the summer season is putting the country’s electricity and power grids in jeopardy, as brownout warnings and requests to conserve power continue to rise. As temperatures rise, so does the likelihood of power outages. Warmer weather means more power consumption as people use devices like air conditioners and fans to try… Continue reading Power Outages, Brownouts a Growing Concern Amid Record-Breaking High Temperatures

Power Outages Caused by Severe Weather Have Doubled in the Last 20 Years

Electrical poles of high voltage in blue sky

According to an Associated Press analysis of government data, power outages caused by severe weather have more than doubled in the United States over the last two decades, as a warming climate creates more destructive storms that cripple large segments of the country’s aging electrical grid. According to data from the U.S. Department of Energy,… Continue reading Power Outages Caused by Severe Weather Have Doubled in the Last 20 Years

Henri Brings Floods, Power Outages to East Coast

Rainy Day Bad WeatherRainy Day Bad WeatherRainy Weather

After making landfall in Rhode Island Sunday, Henri weakened as it moved slowly along the Eastern U.S., bringing heavy rain but also relief that the storm didn’t hit as hard as feared. Tens of thousands of homes and businesses lost power in Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts. Heavy rains that could cause flash flooding are… Continue reading Henri Brings Floods, Power Outages to East Coast

Texas Storms, California Heat Waves and ‘Vulnerable’ Utilities

Small group of firefighters battling an out of control wildfire on a hillside, north of Los Angeles, with electrical pylon in background.

In California, wildfires and heat waves in recent years forced utilities to shut off power to millions of homes and businesses. Now, Texas is learning that deadly winter storms and intense cold can do the same. The country’s two largest states have taken very different approaches to managing their energy needs — Texas deregulated aggressively,… Continue reading Texas Storms, California Heat Waves and ‘Vulnerable’ Utilities

California Winds Bring Wildfires, Power Outages to Thousands

Ice storm power outage

A windstorm that fanned brushfires, toppled trees and left thousands of Californians without power focused its remaining energy Wednesday on the southern end of the state, where forecasters warned of the additional threat of heavy rain and flash flooding. Strong winds were forecast through the day before tapering off. A low-pressure system moving across northern… Continue reading California Winds Bring Wildfires, Power Outages to Thousands

Hurricane Zeta Makes Landfall in Southeastern Louisiana as 27th Named Storm of Season

Hurricane Zeta struck southeastern Louisiana Wednesday afternoon, lashing the northern Gulf Coast with strong winds and life-threatening storm surge and testing a region of the U.S. already battered by several storms this season. Zeta made landfall near Cocodrie, La.—a fishing village in Terrebonne Parish, south of New Orleans—as a Category 2 storm with 110 mile-an-hour… Continue reading Hurricane Zeta Makes Landfall in Southeastern Louisiana as 27th Named Storm of Season

California Bill Would Make Utilities Pay Some Blackout Costs

High-voltage power lines. Electricity distribution station. high voltage electric transmission tower. Distribution electric substation with power lines and transformers.

Californians left in the dark by electric companies that shut off their power to prevent wildfires could get paid for things such as lost wages or spoiled food under a bill that advanced Thursday in the Legislature. In the state plagued by catastrophic blazes started by strong winds knocking down power lines, large investor-owned utilities… Continue reading California Bill Would Make Utilities Pay Some Blackout Costs

PG&E Charges to Swell to $25 Billion After Wildfire Settlement

Evening power station

PG&E Corp. expects to take a fourth-quarter charge of $4.9 billion in connection with a new $13.5 billion deal to settle claims from wildfire victims, the company disclosed in a securities filing Monday. The new charge, which PG&E expects to take by year’s end, would raise the company’s total recorded fire-related charges to over $25… Continue reading PG&E Charges to Swell to $25 Billion After Wildfire Settlement

California Governor Questions $11B PG&E Insurance Deal

Ca property insurance reforms

California Gov. Gavin Newsom questioned PG&E Corp.’s $11 billion settlement proposal for insurance losses tied to wildfires and said it could derail the utility’s bankruptcy exit strategy. In a court filing on Saturday, the Democratic governor raised several objections to the proposed deal with insurance creditors after it emerged as a sticking point in negotiations… Continue reading California Governor Questions $11B PG&E Insurance Deal