Workers clear snow from a parking lot in Midland, Texas, U.S, on Monday, Feb. 15, 2021. Blackouts triggered by frigid weather have spread to more than four million homes and businesses across the central U.S. and extended into Mexico in a deepening energy crisis that's already crippled the Texas power grid. Photo: Matthew Busch/Bloomberg Workers clear snow from a parking lot in Midland, Texas, U.S, on Monday, Feb. 15, 2021.  Photo: Matthew Busch/Bloomberg

The Texas utility responsible for shutting off power to millions of Texas residents last week during a record winter storm now faces at least two lawsuits claiming negligence in its failure to prepare for the state's power needs. The lawsuits both seek punitive damages against the Austin-based Electric Reliability Council of Texas Inc., or ERCOT, which operates 90 percent of the state's power grid. They claim the utility did not prepare residents for possible rolling blackouts and failed to winterize electrical equipment.

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Amanda Bronstad

Amanda Bronstad is the ALM staff reporter covering class actions and mass torts nationwide. She writes the email dispatch Law.com Class Actions: Critical Mass. She is based in Los Angeles.

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