Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Sunday that tackling residents’ skyrocketing electricity bills is the state legislature’s “top priority” and said there will be a moratorium on customer disconnections for non-payment. As the power went out amid deadly refrigerators, jeans that did not have a fixed electrical plan increased bills due to market costs, and some reported that their bills totaled tens of thousands.
Abbott and the legislature held an emergency meeting Saturday to find ways to “protect” residents from soaring bills. “Jeans that suffered cold days without electricity should not be subjected to skyrocketing energy bills due to a rebound in the energy market,” Abbott said Sunday.
There are about 30,000 jeans that had no power as of Sunday afternoon. Abbott said he expected power to be restored across the state on Sunday evening.
In addition to the soaring electricity bill crisis, Texas is also facing two other immediate crises: food shortages and lack of access to clean water. Abbott said Sunday he is suspending regulations on trucks to get drivers to commute to food quickly. It also suspended regulations on kitchens for preparing food as long as they comply with state health guidelines.
Abbott also said the state will distribute “ready-to-eat foods” or MREs, and called for a USDA disaster statement to help distribute food.
The Texas Department of Environmental Quality said boiling water warnings were withdrawn on Sunday to nearly 5 million Texans, including Houston and most of San Antonio, two of the state’s largest cities. . Two days ago, 14.9 million jeans received boiling water warnings.
Abbott also jumps on the plumbers as residents try to deal with the broken pipes. He urged anyone in trouble to ask for a plumber as soon as possible and to call the insurance companies.
In addition to the immediate triple crises, Abbott said that from now on, Texas will overwinter all energy sources.
“We should never run out of power,” Abbott said. “Texas is the energy state. We have to make sure we translate it into power generation to make sure the energy continues.”
On Saturday, President Biden issued a declaration of major disasters, making 77 of Texas’ 254 counties eligible for federal funding to assist in recovery efforts.
Temperatures fell statewide last week, prompting an increase in power consumption that shut down the power grid. At least 30 deaths have been attributed to the Texas storm, including a grandmother and three elementary-aged children who died in a fire in the Houston suburb.
Warmer temperatures over the weekend caused the snow to melt.