January 20, 2026Resilience
Winter Storm Prep: Backup Power Lessons for North Texas
Five years after Uri, DFW homes are still vulnerable. Here is how to prepare.
Winter Storm Uri exposed how fragile the Texas grid can be when extreme cold drives demand past supply. While ERCOT has weatherized many generation assets since then, prolonged cold snaps still trigger rolling outages.
Battery storage paired with solar provides hours of backup for essentials — refrigeration, heat circulation, lights, and communications. Whole-home Generac standby generators provide multi-day backup when natural gas service stays online.
The best time to plan a backup system is before the next storm warning. Lead times for permits and equipment can stretch into weeks during high-demand periods.