The Texas power grid system, which failed during a previous winter storm, could be put to the test this weekend as the region faces subfreezing temperatures and dangerous wind chills.

By Tim McLaughlin and Arathy Somasekhar BOSTON/HOUSTON, Jan 25 (Reuters) - Power plant outages surged along the eastern United States on Sunday as constricted natural gas supplies and frigid temperatures cut the electricity output of the region's generation fleet.

In more recent winter weather events, ERCOT has reminded Texans that outages are likely localized and caused by things like fallen tree branches, rather than the amount of electricity available in the power grid. As of about 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, the power grid was operating under normal conditions, with enough power to meet current demand.

Memories of the deadly 2021 weather event linger even as the state now appears far better prepared.

Many Texans are having flashbacks to the deadly winter freeze that crippled the state's isolated power grid nearly five years ago.

A winter storm that brought ice and snow to the South and Northeast has been linked to at least 50 deaths across more than a dozen states.

The major winter storm blanketed dozens of US states over the weekend, impacting some 180 million people from the Southwest to New England.

Many in the U.S. faced another night of below-freezing temperatures and no electricity after a colossal winter storm heaped more snow Monday on the Northeast and kept parts of the South coated in ice.