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Webinar: 'What Messed with Texas, and Could it Happen Here?'

Texas recently experienced extensive power outages due to the severe cold weather. Webinar will address issues surrounding this occurrence and what measures should be taken to prevent in the future. Credit: Ralph Lauer, EPAAll Rights Reserved.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Widespread energy interruptions in Texas have raised fundamental questions regarding how an energy-rich state could be left so extensively in the dark; whether a Texas-type event could happen in other parts of the United States; and what measures should be taken by energy companies and their regulators to reduce the risks associated with extreme weather events. The Texas energy outages have also been followed by extensive political finger-pointing.

A panel of energy experts from Penn State and industry will review the causes of the Texas energy crisis and discuss lessons learned for the U.S. northeast. The panel discussion, which is free and open to the public, will be broadcast at 3 p.m. EST on Monday, March 8 via Zoom.

The event will be moderated by Seth Blumsack, professor of energy policy and economics in the John and Willie Leone Family Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering (EME). He also is a professor of international affairs in Penn State’s School of International Affairs and is the director of the Center for Energy Law and Policy.

Panelists include:

  • Shelley Corman-Frisby, vice president of business development, Boardwalk Pipeline Partners
  • Andrew Kleit, professor of energy and environmental economics, EME
  • Chiara Lo Prete, associate professor of energy economics, EME
  • Paul McGlynn, senior director, System Operations at PJM Interconnection

Panel discussion is part of the series “Energy Resilience in a Time of Change - Lessons from the Texas Energy Crisis Energy.” The series features experts from Penn State and industry practitioners in discussions focused on the factors contributing to energy interruptions in Texas and how this event changes our thinking about planning for extreme weather, especially as the United States goes through a major energy transition. 

Last Updated March 10, 2021

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