Abbott warns of possible power outages as Texas braces for winter storm

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R ) warned that there could be power outages in Texas as the Lone Star State braces for the upcoming winter storm.

“No one can guarantee that there won’t be a ‘load shed event.’ But what we will work and strive to achieve, and what we’re prepared to achieve, is that the power is gonna stay on across the entire state,” Abbott said during a Tuesday news conference, referring to rolling blackouts.

The Texas governor noted that residents could see power outages for numerous reasons, such as a tree falling on a power line or ice on a power line that stops service.

“That doesn’t mean that there are challenges with the power grid in state of Texas, it means that for a short period of time, a particular neighborhood may be without power, but know that your local power company that you have contracted with is working to make sure that that power will be restored quickly, even though there may not be a problem with the Texas power grid itself,” he said.

Abbott’s comments come as Texas is expected to witness a winter storm later this week. 

“Here is updated timing for the winter storm. Rain will transition to sleet/freezing rain Wed. PM, and into snow for some areas in NTX on Thursday. Ice accumulation is also expected. Travel conditions will become hazardous. Be weather aware and be prepared! #dfwwx #txwx #ctxwx,” the National Weather Service Forth Worth tweeted on Tuesday.

The storm comes close to a year since Texas experience Winter Storm Umi which took several hundred lives, Axios reported.

–Updated on Jan. 2 at 1:12 p.m.