Feb 17, 2021 - Politics & Policy

Biden administration sending generators to Texas amid power outages

Ursula Perano

Austin, Texas on Monday. Photo: Montinique Monroe/Getty Images — Austin, Texas, on Monday. Photo: Montinique Monroe/Getty Images

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said at a briefing on Wednesday that the Biden administration is sending emergency generators to Texas amid ongoing power outages and freezing weather.

Why it matters: Huge swaths of Texas have been without electricity for days due to critical failures in the state's power grid. The outages come while a winter storm continues to pummel the state, causing unsafe conditions and a desperate need for heat.

"FEMA has supplied generators to Texas and is preparing to move diesel on to the state to ensure the continued availability of backup power," said Psaki.
"FEMA is also supplying Texas with water and blankets at their request," she added.
President Biden declared a state of emergency in Texas over the weekend.

The big picture: Outages are also affecting Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi, Louisiana, Kansas and Oklahoma, per the Washington Post. Over a dozen deaths have been attributed to the situation.

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Biden administration sending generators to Texas amid power outages

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