I worked for the PUC during the freeze in 2011 when we learned about these problems. The sad thing is we had grant funds and studied them, found solutions, but the state didn’t carry them out. I designed a plan to relieve stress on the grid in emergencies, never used—would kill those juicy profits.

No!!! We love this store and the awesome, knowledgeable ladies there.

So sad to see it go!

They like to be up high!

I’ve heard those stories!

My mom and I moved here from Texas a few years ago. I’d lived in Austin many years, but I grew up in Houston which is about the same size as the state of Rhode Island.

I have to laugh when people complain about the drive from Cumberland to Cranston and so forth—that’s a dream commute for a Texan!

Did the PUC ever come up with a curtailment plan, just in case?

I’d devised one in 2011, repeatedly asked them to adopt it or one like it, left it behind in 2013, reminded them in 2021 as it sat on their servers—even as Deann Walker reported they were trying to devise curtailments—and still, nada.

Haha! We introduced our visiting Austin family to Del’s, and they discovered one in Leander, an Austin suburb.

Who knew that the addiction was spreading?

So happy for you, Andrew.

When I worked for the TX PUC 12+ years ago, we had put together and excellent outage system. It was dismantled soon thereafter.

Seems like somebody should find out why b/c we spent a lot of money on that.

Fun store. Highly recommend. Great spot for last-minute Christmas shopping. Two of my acquisitions. 🗺️

Wow, Andrew—congrats! This is wild and totally deserved. I’d thought about writing a bigger feature about your story, but I guess you’ll be on NPR any day…

So happy for you!