Austin Energy began shutting off power to homes on Sunday when the Texas energy grid began to fail across the system. On Tuesday, over half of all households in Austin had no power. During this time, companies like Samsung and other semiconductor manufacturers remained powered.
The electricity used by Austin’s top 10 energy customers alone could power almost 12,000 homes. However, these top energy consumers continued to operate at full capacity until Austin mayor Steve Adler ordered industries to limit power on Tuesday.
Not surprising. They powers that be already proved that capital > people over 2020 with Covid. This is just more proof that we value capital > people. If Covid and our government's response to it didn't convince libs, this won't either.
Not only that, but the entire reason that electricity failed is because power plant owners didn't want to spend the money to prepare for winters like this one, which are rare but not unprecedented.
I'm still waiting for the disclosure that NG plants voluntarily shutdown because of the spike in NG price. Why else would the ERCOT/PUC change the electricity price cap so hastily?
I saw a thread saying they asked nicely at first. Seeing the fully lit and heated Oracle building downtown while residential areas and apartments froze
Saw some reddit comments saying Oracle has on-site generation.
Still doesn't sit right though.
Many places have onsite generation... For backup running of essential things like servers. Probably not enough for an entire manufacturing plant to run constantly.
Yikes, capital before profit is inhuman and not the way we should run society. Also on a side note, this site is Red Guard, is there any other sources? I'm going to look for some.
Here's one https://www.statesman.com/story/news/2021/02/16/austin-energy-shuts-power-off-samsung-other-major-users/6771267002/
Here's another https://www.theverge.com/2021/2/17/22287054/samsung-chip-production-halted-austin-winter-storm-uri-power-blackouts
Just saying, the pressing need to get them to shut down to conserve electricity in this winter storm is past, and the people affected have other things to worry about in the near term.
