Power Problems Persist: Most Texans Expect Blackouts This Summer

As temperatures soar across Texas, so do concerns about the state’s power grid. A new survey of over 500 Texans reveals that many residents are bracing for blackouts, with widespread doubts about ERCOT’s reliability and little confidence in state leadership to make meaningful improvements. With another sweltering summer underway, understanding these perceptions is vital for families trying to stay safe and prepared.

Key Takeaways

• Nearly 1 in 5 Texans don’t feel confident their power will stay on throughout the summer, while only 31% feel very confident about it.
• Only 29% of Texans believe they’ll make it through the summer without a power outage, and 72% say they’re not at all prepared for a multi-day blackout.
• Texans blame ERCOT (35%) and state lawmakers (31%) far more than extreme weather (14%) or utility companies (12%) for potential grid failures.
• Gen Z is the only generation more likely to worry about food spoilage (38%) than extreme heat (33%) if the power goes out.
• Nearly 2 in 3 Texans say their household would face serious problems within 24 hours of a power outage.
• Over 7 in 10 Texans (71%) say they have “not much” or “no” trust in state lawmakers to fix the power grid.

How Texans Feel About the Power Grid in 2025

• Nearly 1 in 5 Texans don’t feel confident their power will stay on throughout the summer, while only 31% feel very confident about it.
• Rural Texans are the most likely to feel very confident their power will stay on this summer (37%), while urban Texans are the most likely to lack confidence entirely (23%).
• Only 19% of Texans believe ERCOT is more reliable today than during the 2021 blackout, while 57% say nothing has changed, and 15% think it’s gotten worse.
• Only 29% of Texans believe they’ll make it through the summer without a power outage, and 72% say they’re not at all prepared for a multi-day blackout.
• Texans blame ERCOT (35%) and state lawmakers (31%) far more than extreme weather (14%) or utility companies (12%) for potential grid failures.

How Long Could Texans Last Without Power?

• 1 in 14 Texans say they’ve changed or reconsidered summer travel plans because of concerns about power outages. Gen Z Texans (9%) were the most likely to say so.
• 40% of Texans say the media actually downplays the risk of summer blackouts, which is three times higher than the number who think the media exaggerates it (13%).
• Gen Z is the only generation more likely to worry about food spoilage (38%) than extreme heat (33%) if the power goes out.
• Nearly 2 in 3 Texans say their household would face serious problems within 24 hours of a power outage.

Texans Don’t Trust Lawmakers To Fix the Grid

• Over half of Texans (51%) believe the state’s power grid would be more reliable if it were connected to the national grid.
• 42% of Texans view increased legislative oversight of ERCOT as “just political theater,” more than those who see it as a good thing (27%) or aren’t sure (25%).
• Over 7 in 10 Texans (71%) say they have “not much” or “no” trust in state lawmakers to fix the power grid.

Methodology

We surveyed 508 Texans to explore how they feel about the power grid and their preparedness for possible outages this summer. The generational breakdown of respondents is as follows:

• Gen Z: 19%
• Millennials: 44%
• Gen X: 27%
• Baby boomers: 10%

Data was collected in June 2025.

About Payless Power

Payless Power helps Texans access affordable, no-deposit electricity plans, no matter their credit history. As uncertainty around the power grid continues, Payless Power provides flexible prepaid energy options that let you take control of your budget while staying connected.

Fair Use Statement

If you’d like to share these findings for noncommercial purposes, you’re welcome to do so. Just be sure to link back to Payless Power for proper credit.

URL copied to clipboard