RIP Saleem Quraishi
U.S. COVID-19 fatalities could have stayed under 300,000, versus a death toll of 540,000 and rising, if by last May the country had adopted widespread mask, social distancing, and testing protocols while awaiting a vaccine, estimates Atkeson, economics professor at University of California, Los Angeles.
Normally the power grid can meet the energy demands of consumers. But when the weather got cold, residents blasted their heaters and energy demand in Texas hit a record winter high. Meanwhile, the energy providers were also struggling with the elements. As the cold weather froze natural gas wells and blocked pipes. It also froze wind turbines and coal piles!
The result of that was the grid not being able to produce as much power at a time when consumers were demanding more of it. In short, the grid couldn’t meet the demand. Now other states can buy power from surrounding states to meet spiking demands. But Texas, has insisted on having its own grid with little connection to the other two grids servicing the whole of the US. It’s a point of pride for politicians there, who claim the state has energy independence. So much for energy independence when you need it most.