Washington (February 27, 2026) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), and Representatives Greg Casar (TX-35) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14) led 14 other members of Congress in reintroducing the Connect the Grid Act, which would require the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) to connect to the nation’s major electric grids. By connecting the ERCOT grid, all Texans and Americans would have more reliable electricity, saving lives in future natural disasters. The U.S. would also be better-able to reach its climate goals with Texas’s clean energy production.
“Year after year, families are left with power disruptions and skyrocketing bills from extreme weather disasters. By creating new connections between regions of the grid, we can reduce both weather-related outages and price hikes — especially in Texas,” said Senator Markey. “I support Congressman Casar’s leadership in working to remove Texas’ outdated exemption from federal grid oversight and invest in the ability to transfer electrons between region grids, which will save lives, lower costs, and bring more clean power to the people.”
“It’s been five years since Winter Storm Uri, where more than 10 million Texans lost power and hundreds died as a result of a failed electric grid. The federal government has a responsibility to save lives during natural disasters. We will continue this fight until Texans have reliable power — that’s why I’m reintroducing the Connect the Grid Act,” said Rep. Casar.
“Because millions of Texans are not interconnected to the national grid, they are susceptible to mass power outages in extreme weather — exactly when they need reliable energy the most. I’m proud to join Representative Casar in re-introducing the Connect the Grid Act to protect vulnerable communities while strengthening our energy resilience and fighting the climate crisis,” said Rep. Ocasio-Cortez.
The Connect the Grid Act would:
About 90% of the state of Texas’s electricity is run solely through the Texas grid. Because millions of Texans are not interconnected to the national grids, they are susceptible to mass power outages in the extreme cold or extreme heat — when we need reliable energy the most. The remaining 10%, like El Paso in the West and Beaumont in the East, are connected to other grids and did not suffer mass power outages during Winter Storm Uri in 2021.
The bill is co-sponsored by Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Representatives Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Adriano Espaillat (N.Y.-13), Maxwell Frost (FL-10), Robert Garcia (CA-42), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Al Green (TX-09), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), and Rashida Tlaib (MI-12).
The bill is endorsed by Center for Biological Diversity, Dove Springs Proud, League of Conservation Voters, LIUNA Local 1095, People's Action Institute, Popular Democracy, Progress Texas, San Antonio Alliance of Teachers and Support Personnel, Southwest Laborers District Council (SWLDC-LIUNA), Sunrise Austin, Texas Campaign for the Environment, Texas Organizing Project, Workers Defense Project, and Indivisible.
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