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In 1989, the same kind of arctic storm caused natural gas plants to have the same problems, resulting in rolling blackouts.
1989年，同样的北极风暴令天然气厂也出现同样的问题，导致轮流停电。
And the same thing again, in 2011.
同样的事情还发生在了在2011年。
And both times, federal commissions recommended that utilities "ensure reliability in extreme weather conditions."
而且这两次，联邦委员会都建议公用事业“确保在极端天气条件下的可靠性”。
And specifically, for the state government to create winterization standards for these energy sources.
具体来说，州政府要为这些能源制定防冻标准。
The Texas utility commission did make those standards -- but also made them voluntary.
得克萨斯公用事业委员会确实制定了这些标准，但它们也是自愿遵守的。
So most companies didn't winterize.
所以大多数公司都没有作过冬准备。
Private companies like these don't have an incentive to spend their money preparing for unpredictable and infrequent events without being required to.
像这样的私营公司没有动力在不被要求的情况下把钱花在准备不可预测和不经常发生的事件上。
But this problem is not limited to Texas.
但这个问题并不局限于得克萨斯州。
The particular vulnerability to the extreme cold may be a uniquely Texas thing.
特别容易受到极端寒冷的影响可能是得克萨斯州特有的现象。
But I think what it shows, is you need to check your blind spots. And that applies everywhere.
但我认为它表明，你需要检查你的盲点，而这适用于任何地方。
This is a chart of the last 40 years of severe weather disasters in the US.
这是美国过去40年恶劣天气灾害的图表。
Storms in particular are in orange.
风暴被标记成了橘黄色。
Here's the Texas winter storm in 1989, and the one in 2011.
这是1989年的得克萨斯冬季风暴，这是2011年的那场。
These costly disasters are becoming more frequent -- not just in Texas, but nationally, and globally.
这些代价高昂的灾难发生地越来越频繁——不仅在得克萨斯州，而且在全国乃至全球范围内。
And the US is not prepared.
而美国也没有做好准备。
Most of this grid was built 60-70 years ago, but was only built to last 50 years.
大部分电网建于60-70年前，但建成后只能维持50年。
And some studies point to nearly 100 facilities, like power plants, in immediate danger of flooding and storm surges.
一些研究指出，发电厂等近100个设施，在洪水和风暴潮来临时会遭遇直接危险。
Most of these private energy companies, across the US, aren't going to change unless they're required to.
美国大部分私营能源公司都不会做出改变，除非他们被要求做出改变。
But these utility commissions can require it. As can state governments. And the federal government.
但这些公用事业委员会可以要求它，州政府也会，还有联邦政府。
All three can even help pay for it.
这三个机构甚至都可以付钱。
Texas was warned for 30 years to prepare its energy systems for severe weather and climate change. But they didn't.
30年来，得克萨斯州一直被警告，要准备其能源系统来应对恶劣天气和气候变化，但他们并没有这样做。
Now the rest of the US is facing the same problem.
现在美国的其他地方也面临同样的问题。
It is a wakeup call, for everywhere, to think about, how do we prepare our energy infrastructures, and our other critical infrastructure, for extreme events that may become more severe, and may become more likely?
这是一个警钟，让世界各地思考，我们如何为我们的能源基础设施和其他关键基础设施做好准备，以应对可能变得更严重、更可能发生的极端事件？
And that isn't about just thinking about what's probable, but also, what can break the system in a way that's catastrophic?
我们不仅仅要考虑可能会发生什么事情，而且还要考虑到什么事情能摧毁这些系统？
