BETA
Chapter 1
The birth of an island grid
Chapter 2
How the Texas grid actually works
Chapter 3
The great deregulation experiment
Chapter 4
Under pressure: Extreme weather and the future
YOUR GOAL
Master of The Texas power grid
Ch 1 · The birth of an island grid
nic Connect power lines inside state borders to learn why Texas runs its own independent grid.
nic Texas Power Grid Independence
Back in '35, Texas made a stand, Kept its power grid right here in the land. No federal lines, just independent plans.
nic A rogue utility company briefly connected Texas to Oklahoma in 1976, sparking a dramatic legal and physical showdown.
nic During World War II, Texas power companies officially united to form an internal network to support heavy wartime manufacturing.
Fun Fact
Grid boundary pockets: Texas actually has three tiny geographic pockets, including El Paso, that are connected to national grids, not the main Texas grid.
Glossary
island grid (noun)
An electrical grid that operates independently of any larger, regional power network. Texas utilities chose to operate an island grid to avoid regulation under the 1935 Federal Power Act.
An electrical grid that operates independently of any larger, regional power network. Texas utilities chose to operate an island grid to avoid regulation under the 1935 Federal Power Act.
Quiz
What was the dramatic 1976 event called when a utility briefly connected a Texas power line to Oklahoma?
Quiz
What alliance was formed by Texas electric utilities in 1941 to support industrial manufacturing during World War II?
Quiz
Approximately what percentage of the total electrical load in Texas does ERCOT manage today?
Quiz
Why did Texas electric utilities historically choose to avoid crossing state lines with their power lines?
Quiz
Which major Texas city is famously connected to the Western Interconnection rather than the main Texas grid?