In February 2021, Texas experienced an extreme cold snap causing a dramatic electricity blackout that left millions of households without electricity, resulting in over 200 fatalities and economic damages of approximately $100 billion. The Texas blackout has been used to support a variety of claims regarding renewable energy, electricity markets and climate change. We identify the blackout’s drivers and what has been learned since then. These lessons apply to power systems worldwide, including those of the Gulf Cooperation Council and the broader Middle East and North Africa region.

Senior Fellow- Utilities & Renewables
Marie is a Senior Fellow in the Utilities & Renewables Department. Since she joined KAPSARC in 2021, her research has…
Marie is a Senior Fellow in the Utilities & Renewables Department. Since she joined KAPSARC in 2021, her research has focused on power system modeling (KAPSARC Power Model), market designs for energy transitions, and framework analysis for reliable and resilient power systems. Prior to joining KAPSARC, Marie worked as a Research Engineer within the Research and Development (R&D) unit of the utility group EDF in Paris, France. During her EDF journey, she worked on long-term and short-term electricity market design, the transmission grid at the European scale, and smart-charging opportunities for electric vehicles. Marie also worked as a researcher within the Market Department of the French Transmission System Operator RTE. Marie holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Dauphine University, PSL (France), an M.Sc. in Environmental and Energy Economics from Ecole des Ponts ParisTech (France), and a M.Sc. in Engineering from ENSTA Institut Polytechnique de Paris (France).
Expertise
- Electricity Markets
- Power System Modeling
- Electricity Market Design and Regulation
- Energy Transition
- Energy and Climate Policy
Publications See all Marie Petitet’s publications

Cross-Border Electricity Trading in the GCC Countries, Egypt, Jordan and Iraq: Hourly Market Coupling or Bilateral Agreements?
In February 2021, Texas experienced an extreme cold snap causing a dramatic electricity blackout that…
28th April 2025
Are There Adequate Materials and Land Resources for the Saudi Power Sector to Achieve Net Zero by 2060?
In February 2021, Texas experienced an extreme cold snap causing a dramatic electricity blackout that…
27th April 2025