In 1976, Central and Southwest Corporation sought to interconnect the Texas grid with the Eastern U.S. grid. "I don't think we've ever got to hope that eventually, right will be done," says one man who fought for such a connection. Since the blackout, there's been a lot of interest in making more of these smaller connections.
Texas's energy grid is largely disconnected from the rest of the U.S. That led to disastrous consequences last year when the state's grid was overloaded during a winter storm. Back in the 1970s, one company attempted to change the system in a secret, middle-of-the-night operation.
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