Why a Texas electricity company is under fire for astronomical bills during winter storm

Many Texans woke up after Winter Storm Uri with energy bills costing them thousands of dollars, despite residents being without power for multiple days due to the frigid temperatures impacting the system.

These bills were as high as $17,000 for some residents, according to The Dallas Morning News, and has put a new focus on the deep-rooted problems into the state’s market for selling electricity to consumers.

Texas has an independent, deregulated electricity market, which offers both wholesale and fixed-rate power plans for residents. The structure is the only of the kind in the continental United States, as all other states run on a federally regulated grid, and it puts an emphasis on cheap prices.