Texas Gov. Greg Abbott expanded a statewide disaster declaration Sunday to include 85 additional counties, bringing the total number of counties covered to 219 of Texas’ 254 counties, according to the Governor’s office.
The move comes as freezing temperatures and icy conditions continue to impact communities statewide, with more than 83,000 Texans without power Sunday afternoon.
“Communities across the state have been impacted by this weekend’s winter weather,” Abbott said. “I am updating my disaster declaration to include additional counties to help more Texans during these freezing temperatures.”
The governor urged residents to monitor local weather forecasts and road conditions. “Texans should continue to monitor local weather forecasts and road conditions to keep themselves and their families safe,” he added.
Most power outages are concentrated in east Texas, according to findenergy.com data. ERCOT officials indicated the outages appear to be local issues rather than grid-wide problems.
The U.S. Department of Energy issued an emergency order Sunday allowing ERCOT to require large energy users to switch to backup generators if the grid becomes strained.
A disaster declaration activates emergency management plans and facilitates access to state and federal resources, including funding, personnel, and equipment. It also allows the state to pre-position assets like the National Guard before severe weather strikes.
Abbott initially issued a disaster declaration Friday for 134 counties as the winter storm threatened the state with life-threatening cold and ice.
The governor thanked emergency management officials working “around the clock to help Texans across the state recover from this winter storm.”
