Observers say Texas energy crisis is a warning for Michigan lawmakers

MIDLAND, Mich.  — Winter weather is causing problems across the U.S. More than three million people in Texas are still without power after a winter storm wreaked havoc on Sunday. Dangerously cold temperatures and wind chills have made the issue of power outages even worse.

The Mackinac Center for Public Policy has sent a letter to Michigan lawmakers with recommendations to ensure that our state does not suffer the same fate. The Center said Michigan’s energy systems have been strained in the past. As the state was dealing with extreme cold during the 2019 Polar Vortex, a major source of our natural gas supply failed, while wind and solar supplied miniscule amounts to the energy grid.

“Michigan needs to be cautious in its energy endeavors,” said Jason Hayes, director of environmental policy at the Mackinac Center. “As Michigan’s utilities switch to a heavier reliance on fickle energy sources, lawmakers should adopt a new reliable energy standard that requires any new electricity generation source to be fully dispatchable. Michigan residents should not have to depend on whether the sun is shining or the wind is blowing in order to have reliable electricity,” said Hayes.

You can read the full letter here.

You can read more about Michigan’s energy structure in Electricity in Michigan: A Primer.