usually contained up north in the Earth's jet stream,

通常包含在地球噴氣流的北部。

dipped down into the US.

下降到美國。

It's called a polar vortex, and it's pretty common.

這叫極地漩渦，很常見。

It's what brings the coldest air to the US during the winter.

是它給美國冬季帶來了最冷的空氣。

What was unusual, is for it to dip as far south as it did.

不尋常的是，它竟然如此南下。

In Texas, where February is typically fairly warm, temperatures dipped dangerously low.

在德州，2月份通常相當溫暖，但氣溫卻低得危險。

And it came with a storm.

而且是伴隨著暴風雨而來的。

More than 4 million Texans lost power.

超過400萬德州人失去了電力。

Many wouldn't get it back for nearly five days.

很多人近五天都拿不回來。

By then, pipes had frozen. People were melting snow for drinking water.

那時，管道已經結冰。人們都在融化積雪，以備飲水。

And dozens had died from the cold in their cars and in their homes.

而幾十人因寒冷而死在車內和家中。

And it was almost even worse.

而這幾乎是更糟糕的。

The state's entire electrical grid was within “seconds and minutes”

全州電網在 "分秒必爭"

of a failure that would've lasted months.

的失敗，會持續幾個月。

But even though this storm hit this huge area,

但儘管這場風暴襲擊了這一大片地區。

it was really just Texas that had major loss of power.

其實只是德州出現了重大的斷電。

There's a reason for that.

這是有原因的。

And it should be a warning sign for the rest of the US.

而這應該是美國其他地區的一個警告信號。

When you flip your lights on, you're getting your electricity from the power grid.

當你打開燈的時候，你的電是來自電網的。

And that grid is getting the electricity from a bunch of different energy systems.

而這個電網從一堆不同的能源系統中獲取電力。

Like nuclear power plants, or wind farms, or natural gas facilities.

比如核電站，或者風電場，或者天然氣設施。

In the US, these places are generally run by private energy companies,

在美國，這些地方一般由私人能源公司經營。

that work with your local power utility,

與當地電力公司合作的。

which directs the electricity around the grid and into your home.

它引導電力繞過電網，進入您的家庭。

That power utility is overseen by a government commission,

該電力公司由政府委員會監督。

who sets things like prices and safety standards.

誰來制定價格和安全標準等事情。

And the grids most Americans are on aren't just big. They're huge.

而大多數美國人的電網不僅大。他們是巨大的。

The entire east coast, from Canada to Florida, is on one grid.

整個東海岸，從加拿大到佛羅里達州，都在一個電網上。

And the entire west coast is connected in another.

而整個西海岸在另一。

It's kind of a remarkable engineering feat.

這是一種了不起的工程壯舉。

It's probably the biggest machine humans have ever built.

這可能是人類有史以來最大的機器了。

While most power tends to stay local, this grid allows electricity to flow

雖然大多數電力往往停留在在地，但這一電網允許電力流動。

over huge areas, and between states.

在廣大地區和各州之間。

Like, in New York City, power comes from energy plants in New York,

像，在紐約市，電力來自紐約的能源廠。

but also from neighboring states, and even Canada.

但也有來自鄰州，甚至加拿大的。

This huge grid also means that, in emergencies,

這個巨大的格局也意味著，在緊急情況下。

power can be directed where it's needed.

權力可以被引導到需要的地方。

Like in Oklahoma, which was also hit bad during the February winter storm.

像俄克拉荷馬州，在2月份的冬季風暴中也受到了嚴重的打擊。

They needed more power. And instead of completely losing it,

他們需要更多的力量。而不是完全失去它。

they were able to get electricity from neighboring states through the grid.

他們能夠通過電網從鄰近的州獲得電力。

But it's not so seamless to send it to Texas.

但要送到德州，就不是那麼天衣無縫了。

Texas opted out of the big grids, back when they were being built,

德州選擇退出大電網，早在大電網建設的時候，就已經選擇了。

nearly a hundred years ago.

近百年前。

Since they covered several states, it meant the federal government could regulate them.

由於它們涵蓋了幾個州，這意味著聯邦政府可以對它們進行監管。

Texas was not into that.

德州並不喜歡這樣。

Texas decided to kind of go it alone.

德州決定有點單幹。

It's a very uniquely Texas-type thing to do.

這是一件非常獨特的德州式的事情。

So most of Texas is on its own grid.

所以德州的大部分地區都在自己的電網上。

It means they don't have to follow the same regulations as the rest of the country,

這意味著他們不必像其他國家一樣遵守同樣的規定。

like reliability and cost standards.

如可靠性和成本標準。

But it also means when it lost power in the storm,

但這也意味著當它在風暴中失去動力。

it couldn't easily get electricity from other states.

它不容易從其他州獲得電力。

Its independence kept it in the dark.

它的獨立使它處於黑暗之中。

But it wasn't the reason it went dark in the first place.

但這並不是當初黑化的原因。

Being on its own, Texas has to make all their own power.

作為自己人，德州的力量都要自己做主。

They have a variety of sources.

他們有各種來源。

When the storm came, it affected every one.

當暴風雨來臨的時候，影響了每一個人。

Several coal plants stopped operating, as coal piles froze.

由於煤堆結冰，幾家煤廠停止運行。

One of four Texan nuclear plants went offline.

德州四座核電站中的一座停運。

Some wind turbines stopped working in the freezing cold.

一些風力發電機在嚴寒中停止工作。

But the biggest failure, in terms of its magnitude and its impact,

但就其規模和影響而言，是最大的失敗。

was the natural gas system.

是天然氣系統。

Natural gas, which actually contains water vapor, froze in storage wells and pipelines.

實際上含有水蒸氣的天然氣，在儲氣井和管道中結冰。

Every one of these systems failed, in part.

這些系統每一個都失敗了，部分。

And it had nothing to do with the type of energy,

而這與能量的種類無關。

and everything to do with these companies not being prepared for the cold.

而一切都與這些公司沒有做好禦寒的準備有關。

Clearly, you can run an energy system in cold temperatures.

顯然，你可以在低溫下運行能源系統。

There are wind turbines operating in Antarctica,

南極洲有風力發電機在運行。

and gas plants in Alaska and Alberta.

以及阿拉斯加和阿爾伯塔省的天然氣工廠。

So this is not a technology-specific issue.

所以這不是一個技術上的問題。

It was more a failure to anticipate that this is something

這更多的是沒有預料到這是一件事

that could even occur in Texas at this length and severity,

甚至可能發生在德克薩斯州的這種長度和嚴重性。

and to prepare for extreme cold temperatures.

並做好應對極寒天氣的準備。

But it should have been anticipated. Because this has happened in Texas before.

但這應該是在預料之中的。因為這種事以前在德州也發生過。

In 1989, the same kind of arctic storm caused natural gas plants to have the same problems,

1989年，同樣的北極風暴導致天然氣廠出現了同樣的問題。

resulting in rolling blackouts.

導致滾動停電。

And the same thing again, in 2011.

而同樣的事情，在2011年又發生了。

And both times, federal commissions recommended that utilities

而這兩次，聯邦委員會都建議公用事業部門

"ensure reliability in extreme weather conditions."

"確保在極端天氣條件下的可靠性"。

And specifically, for the state government

而具體到州政府

to create winterization standards for these energy sources.

為這些能源制定過冬標準。

The Texas utility commission did make those standards -- but also made them voluntary.

德州公用事業委員會確實制定了這些標準 -- -- 但也是自願的。

So most companies didn't winterize.

所以大部分公司都沒有過冬。

Private companies like these don't have an incentive to spend their money

這樣的民營企業沒有動力去花錢了

preparing for unpredictable and infrequent events without being required to.

為不可預知和不經常發生的事件做好準備，而不需要這樣做；

But this problem is not limited to Texas.

但這個問題並不侷限於德州。

The particular vulnerability to the extreme cold may be a uniquely Texas thing.

特別容易受到極寒天氣的影響，這可能是德州獨有的事情。

But I think what it shows, is you need to check your blind spots.

但我覺得這說明，你需要檢查你的盲點。

And that applies everywhere.

而這一點在任何地方都適用。

This is a chart of the last 40 years of severe weather disasters in the US.

這是美國過去40年惡劣天氣災害的圖表。

Storms in particular are in orange.

特別是風暴是橙色的。

Here's the Texas winter storm in 1989, and the one in 2011.

這是1989年的德州冬季風暴，還有2011年的那場。

These costly disasters are becoming more frequent --

這些代價高昂的災害正變得越來越頻繁 -- --

not just in Texas, but nationally, and globally.

不僅僅是在德克薩斯，而是在全國乃至全球。

And the US is not prepared.

而美國還沒有做好準備。

Most of this grid was built 60-70 years ago,

這個電網大部分是60-70年前建成的。

but was only built to last 50 years.

但只建了50年。

And some studies point to nearly 100 facilities, like power plants,

而有研究指出，發電廠等近100個設施。

in immediate danger of flooding and storm surges.

處於洪水和風暴潮的直接危險之中。

Most of these private energy companies, across the US,

這些私營能源公司，大多在美國各地。

aren't going to change unless they're required to.

除非被要求，否則他們不會改變。

But these utility commissions can require it.

但這些公用事業委員會可以要求。

As can state governments. And the federal government.

州政府也可以。還有聯邦政府。

All three can even help pay for it.

這三者甚至可以幫助支付。

Texas was warned for 30 years to prepare its energy systems

德州被警告30年要做好能源系統的準備。

for severe weather and climate change.

應對惡劣天氣和氣候變化。

But they didn't.

但他們沒有。

Now the rest of the US is facing the same problem.

現在美國其他地區也面臨著同樣的問題。

It is a wakeup call, for everywhere, to think about,

這是一個警鐘，對各地來說，都是一個值得思考的問題。

how do we prepare our energy infrastructures, and our other critical infrastructure,

我們如何準備我們的能源基礎設施，以及我們的其他關鍵基礎設施。

for extreme events that may become more severe,

以應對可能變得更加嚴重的極端事件。

and may become more likely?

並可能會變得更有可能？

And that isn't about just thinking about what's probable,

而這並不是說只考慮可能的事情。

but also, what can break the system in a way that's catastrophic?

但同時，什麼能打破系統的方式，是災難性的？