Texas Trends 2024: Special report on outage experiences and preparedness in the shadow of Hurricane Beryl

The report observed past experiences with power outages and disasters and how they shape current and future preparedness strategies. The report is part of the Texas Trends Survey, a five-year study launched in 2021 that observes the changing public attitudes of Texans. The survey was conducted with 2,257 Texans with data focusing mostly on areas like Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio. More than half of Harris County respondents experienced blackouts during Winter Storm Uri and Hurricane Harvey.

The findings from the Texas Trends Survey 2024, especially in the context of Hurricane Beryl, highlight critical lessons on the impacts of disasters and the preparedness of Texans for extreme weather. This report, fielded before Hurricane Beryl struck, offers insights into how past experiences with blackouts and disasters shape current and future preparedness strategies. The survey indicates that blackouts are not isolated incidents but rather a frequent consequence of severe weather events. This persistent issue underscores the vulnerability of the power infrastructure in Texas, particularly in the Houston metropolitan area and other coastal regions. This trend suggests a need for targeted interventions to bolster infrastructure resilience in high-risk areas.