Legal shields offer power companies broad protections for most weather-related blackouts. That may compound the frustrations for the millions of people left in the dark amid crippling winter power outages in Texas and beyond.
Threats of class action lawsuits and other challenges are cropping up on social media and message boards—mostly unfocused and hasty complaints targeting electric utilities and grid operators. Similar grievances tend to arise during every major electricity outage, but most never get traction offline.
Some advocates say greater accountability is needed as climate change brings more extreme storms to an oft-unprepared electric grid.
Here’s what to know ...