Last week Texas experienced a historic winter storm knocking out the power of 4 million, leaving around 70 dead, and costing Texans at least $21 billion in damages. As energy demand rose, the supply of energy fell due to outdated power generators failing, which ultimately deprived the power grid of energy. ERCOT and CenterPoint ignored recommendations in 2001 to winterize their equipment, resulting in rolling blackouts and freezing homes across Texas.
Tag: Death
How Do Portable Generators Cause Death?
How Do Portable Generators Cause Death?
In 2006, the Consumer Product Safety Commission studied the rash of carbon monoxide poisonings that occurred from 1999 until 2006. CPSC has continued its study through the end of 2013. The U.S. Government learned that from 1999-2012, 739 people died from generator-produced carbon monoxide poisoning – this figure represents 79% of all CO fatalities during that time period. The combination of cheaper prices and more frequent power-disabling weather systems has led to a dramatic increase in portable generator sales, as well as an upward trend of CO fatalities.
