State oil and gas inspectors are not adequately verifying that Texas natural gas production and delivery systems are prepared to keep running in severe winter storms. Regulators have also failed to hold natural gas operators to winter weatherization standards, according to a new report from the State Auditor's Office.

The state mandate requiring natural gas production and distribution companies to prepare for extreme winter weather goes back to the 2021 blackouts during Winter Storm Uri.

Those blackouts are largely remembered as a failure of the Texas electric grid. But the days-long power outage was also caused by freeze-related breakdowns along Texas's vast natural gas supply chain. Those problems stopped gas from reaching power plants, contributing to the electricity crunch.

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