Federal, State Governments Launch Investigations Into Power Grid Failures in Texas

Texas Governor Greg Abbott announces the reopening of more Texas businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic at a press conference at the Texas State Capitol in Austin on May 18, 2020. Lynda M. Gonzalez/Pool/Getty Images

Federal regulators and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced investigations in the midst of a historic power outage crisis caused by extreme cold in the central United States.

Abbott, a Republican, called for an emergency reform of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), saying that it hasn’t been “reliable” for “the past 48 hours.”