After the snow and ice of February 2021 had melted and power and water service finally returned, catastrophe turned to criticism. Lawmakers and power providers have since gone to work in hopes that it doesn't happen again.

The San Antonio community won’t soon forget the winter storm in February 2021 that shut down the area for days. Still, it helped many become better prepared for severe weather after days of uncertainty.

CPS Energy officials this week declined to release information related to natural gas purchases made ahead of the latest winter storm, claiming in a letter sent to the Texas Attorney General that the information is confidential.

Internal CPS Energy documents obtained by the KSAT 12 Defenders show that customer anger and confusion over winter storm bill credits persisted months after the credits were issued last year.

Despite recent waves of freezing weather, the crops look healthy. That’s thanks to Ronin Garcia and his father, Donovan Garcia, trying different methods to protect their crops.

As we approach the one-year anniversary of last February’s freeze, KSAT is shining a spotlight on the organizations that helped us get through it. The San Antonio Food Bank is one example.

As a proposed CPS Energy rate increase heads to the San Antonio City Council for a vote this week, some customers are saying not so fast. Many who left in the dark during last year’s winter storm are asking why utility leaders aren’t taking a pay cut instead.

We want to hear from Texans about how this catastrophic event is still affecting their lives.

CPS Energy has now spent over $7 million on outside attorneys and consultants to fight natural gas bills it racked up during February’s winter storm, records obtained by the KSAT 12 Defenders show.

It’s been six months since the deadly February winter storm left millions across the state without power for days, and many questions about what went wrong remain unanswered. The KSAT Explains team and the Defenders have been closely following the fallout of the storm. We take a look at four things we've learned so far.

Attorneys hired by CPS Energy have attempted to block the release of complaints filed against President & CEO Paula Gold-Williams by members of the utility’s senior legal team, claiming their contents are confidential and should remain out of public view.

Texas’ devastating winter storm hasn’t just made an impact on residents -- it’s also affecting migratory birds.

CPS Energy’s senior legal team lodged internal complaints against its President and CEO Paula Gold-Williams in the weeks before the attorneys resigned from the utility, internal records obtained this week by the KSAT 12 Defenders confirm.

Facing a billion-dollar financial hole from February’s deadly winter storm, CPS Energy has now spent over $2.5 million in outside fees to fight those bills, records obtained by the KSAT 12 Defenders show.

CPS Energy’s chief legal officer is among several executives of the utility who have decided to leave the company, officials confirmed Wednesday night.

San Antonio gardens may have been more resilient than the power grid during the mid-February freeze.

During the third day of February’s bitter freeze, as hundreds of thousands of CPS Energy customers tried to survive without power, President and CEO Paula Gold-Williams and other senior leaders of the utility drafted a letter of support for her and management, according to internal emails obtained by the KSAT 12 Defenders.

Earlier this month, Tiffany Carmony and her fiancé paid rent for their first floor unit at The Redland, an apartment complex on the far North Side, even though they haven’t lived there since Feb. 15.

For the second mild spring day in a row, officials with the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, or ERCOT, said Wednesday that they were dealing with tight energy grid conditions.

Ownership groups for a pair of San Antonio apartment complexes have joined a long list suing CPS Energy over the utility’s preparation and response to February’s winter storm.

When the power went out for Marsha Hendler on Feb. 15, she rushed to her downtown San Antonio office to ride out the winter storm. Thankful to find the electricity and heat still on, she typed out an email to the elected officials who regulate her small, independent oil and gas company.

Two more San Antonio families have filed lawsuits against CPS Energy, claiming poor preparation from the utility ahead of February’s winter storm contributed to the deaths of their loved ones.

The Texas Senate on Monday unanimously approved a sweeping bill that would overhaul the state’s electricity industry and infrastructure, including mandating that power plants prepare for extreme weather and outlawing risky indexed retail electric plans. Senate Bill 3, filed by Republican state Sen. Charles Schwertner of Georgetown, now heads to the Texas House where its prospects are uncertain. Experts say the process of retrofitting the state’s power plants for winter could be difficult and costly, but not impossible, depending on the types of upgrades eventually mandated by regulators. Known as TERC, the board coordinates state energy regulators, electricity generators and the natural gas fuel industry to ensure reliable gas distribution for electricity. The PUC regulates the Electrical Reliability Council of Texas, which manages the state’s main power grid.

As the updated death toll from February’s winter storm reached 111 deaths last week, the severity of its full force has continued to come into focus. AdThe Electric Reliability Council of Texas manages the state’s main power grid, which represents 90% of Texas’ electric load and serves more than 26 million customers, according to the agency. Black Texans were “modestly more likely” to have lost power than white Texans, according to the study. The company wants lawmakers to create a revenue stream to Berkshire through an additional charge on Texans’ power bills. Ad“In 2011, when we were asking questions about that winter storm, we were receiving promises and commitments that winterization would occur so that sort of thing wouldn't happen again,” he said.

Figueroa said people can apply for FEMA assistance online or by phone if their insurance didn’t cover all damages or if they don’t have insurance. AdFigueroa is reminding people that FEMA aid does not cover the following:Food lossInsurance deductiblesElectricity and water bills. Once you for disaster assistance, make sure you save the nine digit pin code you are given. To get more information or apply for assistance, visit the FEMA disaster assistance website or call 1-800-621-3362. AdAfter applying, you may stay on DisasterAssistance.gov to create a personal online disaster assistance account to stay in touch with FEMA.

The $500 million line of credit is part of a multifaceted strategic plan intended to protect customers from high costs. CPS Energy officials will be seeking federal and state financial and policy assistance, regulatory intervention and other avenues, such as negotiations. CPS Energy says it’s facing charges of more than $1 billion for the power and natural gas it purchased during the February winter storm when prices for both skyrocketed. AdThere was little discussion during the meeting about how the financing would eventually affect CPS Energy customers. “The utility will only utilize this line of credit when it is needed and, if utilized, the debt will have no negative financial impact on the City or customers’ bills, and can be accommodated within CPS Energy’s existing financial plan,” CPS Energy said in a news release.

SAN ANTONIO – A CPS Energy senior director sought to keep information about pump station power outages confidential last month as the city’s water situation worsened, according to emails obtained by the KSAT 12 Defenders. CPS Energy officials this week defended Kruse’s email, claiming utility infrastructure could have been the target of threats had the information it contained not remained confidential. AdRelated: CPS Energy uses a college student for weather forecasting. CPS Energy officials refused multiple requests from the Defenders to make Kruse or President & CEO Paula Gold-Williams available for an interview. AdBut the records released by SAWS also show that messaging from CPS Energy was, at times, disjointed during the early stages of the outages.

BEXAR COUNTY – A couple of weeks have passed since the devastating winter storm that swept through South Texas, but many residents in suburban cities and outlying areas in Bexar County are still without running water in their homes, according to county officials. Just last week, Bexar County launched a reimbursement program that offered up to $1,500 per household to aid residents with repair costs for broken pipes and plumbing issues caused by the winter storm. RELATED: Bexar County launches plumbing assistance program for residents following winter stormStill, many households in suburban cities and areas of unincorporated Bexar County are without water and are struggling with arranging a plumber due to their remote locations, according to officials. Those who do not have access to the internet should call 210-631-5000 for the reimbursement program, or 210-631-6000 for the “I need a plumber” program. AdRead also:These businesses are donating to winter storm relief efforts in San Antonio, across TexasDevastating winter storm leaves behind trail of destruction for San Antonio-area nonprofit

SAN ANTONIO – While each of us was living in our own deep freeze drama during the snowstorms of February, the pediatric staff at UT Health San Antonio were fighting their own battle against the forces of nature. With the power out, bitterly cold houses and no water, the pediatric team for the most medically complex pediatric population began to worry. All of the equipment requires electricity,” said Dr. Wisdeen Wu, assistant professor of pediatrics at UT Health San Antonio. AdShe also takes her hat off to her patients’ families, who she says were very resourceful under stress. ALSO ON KSAT.COM: Nurtured with faith, a community garden in San Antonio springs back from the devastating winter storm

SAN ANTONIO – Losses in the agriculture industry brought on by the winter storm in Texas are now estimated to be $605 million, according to the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. Dr. David Anderson, the education agency’s livestock economist, said included in that figure are $228 million in losses to the livestock and poultry industries, as well as the animals who died due to the cold. RELATED: Texas Farm Bureau, others assessing winter storm damage“That probably ate up a lot more cost than they were expecting in producing the birds this year,” Anderson said. Full Screen 1 / 6 Image courtesy of Bryan Bettice, Adkins, Texas. Many had pumps that froze up, and damaged pipe systems now need repair to get water to their cattle.

SAN ANTONIO – A lawsuit filed in Bexar County district court this week accuses CPS Energy of causing a San Antonio woman’s death after power to her home went out during a prolonged winter storm last month. A CPS Energy spokesman, John Moreno, issued a brief statement about the lawsuit. “CPS Energy doesn’t comment on active litigation, however, we will handle as appropriate through the legal process,” Moreno said. The wrongful death suit also accuses CPS Energy of negligence and gross negligence. CPS Energy faces $1 billion bill for winter weather power crisisCPS Energy will withhold winter storm charges while seeking funds to alleviate costs

“Sixteen to 24 hours that you would get throughout the week reduced to only four hours,” Camarillo said. Power outages and water shortages, in addition to so many dialysis patients coming in, forced many treatment centers to limit each dialysis session to only two hours. In anticipation of power outages and severe weather, we coordinated for approximately one-third of our patients to receive their dialysis treatment over the weekend in advance of the storm. Dialysis treatment services were available to all USRC San Antonio-based patients throughout the storm. Further, the USRC Pleasanton Road dialysis clinic had access to both power and water and provided dialysis treatment services throughout the storm.

SAN ANTONIO – The Internal Revenue Service is extending tax season deadlines for Texans affected by last week’s winter storms. Individuals and businesses included in the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s recent disaster declaration now have until June 15, 2021, to file their tax returns and pay anything they owe to the IRS. For example, individual tax returns and quarterly estimated income tax payments -- typically due on April 15 -- are now due on June 15. Affected taxpayers can deduct personal property losses not covered by their insurance or through other reimbursements, according to the IRS. For more information on the IRS’s changes for those affected by the winter storms, click here.

SAN ANTONIO – During the unprecedented winter weather last week, many animals were lost or left out in the cold, and the small team at Animal Care Services was able to save hundreds of animals. Joe Hernandez waited in line outside ACS on Monday afternoon, hoping to reunite with his two dogs, which he lost during the storm. “The biggest thing about a microchip is knowing the microchip number. Allan said a skeleton crew braved frigid temperatures and bad road conditions to respond to nonstop calls for abandoned and lost animals. If you have lost your pet, Allan says you should do the following:As for Hernandez, he’s been assured his dogs are waiting patiently for him.

Texans in certain counties whose property was damaged by this month's deadly winter storm can apply for federal assistance for things not covered by insurance. That is in addition to the 77 counties President Joe Biden’s administration included in a major disaster declaration this weekend. Texans without insurance in counties under Biden’s major disaster declaration can go ahead and apply for federal aid. AdEarl Armstrong, a FEMA spokesperson, said that eligible Texans should file their insurance claim first then shortly after apply for disaster assistance. You can also visit a FEMA Disaster Recovery Center in person by looking for the nearest location here.

SAN ANTONIO – If this wild week hasn’t already driven you to your local brewery, maybe now is a convenient time to go. Some San Antonio breweries have temporarily stopped making beer to provide residents some quality filtered water, given the shortage caused by the wintry weather this past week. The San Antonio Water System first issued the boil water notice for the city on Wednesday, Feb. 17. Blue Star Brewery decided amid water shortages the right thing to do was to give back to the community. RELATED: Several San Antonio breweries offering free, clean water

To ensure the community had a place to find a warm meal, Papa John’s franchise owners in San Antonio stepped up and flew in an emergency truck driver from Phoenix to Dallas to deliver food to San Antonio stores. The well pump is responsible for the water supply for many animal habitats in the zoo this same water eventually flows into the San Antonio Riverwalk, stated the San Antonio Zoo. Roth mentioned how the challenging road conditions were also a struggle, and made it difficult for essential zoo crew to commute to work. “Thank you in advance for your generous contributions,” stated the San Antonio Zoo. From left to right: Cortland View at TPC office manager stands with Papa John's San Antonio employee.

We need the electricity, but we need the water too, and there’s no way for us to dialyze,” Allen said. AdThe effects of the winter storm on the electrical grid this week have CPS Energy and other Texas energy providers overwhelmed. CPS Energy President and CEO Paula Gold-Williams said the energy supply during the winter storm couldn’t meet the demand. She said a third of the system would not be taking down as it’s a critical circuit. Concerns about SAWS pumps taken off the critical circuit have dialysis patients like Allen in distress with no access to water.

ERCOT manages the flow of electric power to more than 26 million Texans. SAN ANTONIO – Top officials from ERCOT, the Texas council that regulates the electric grid, defended the decision to shed power and initiate rolling outages early Monday, claiming it prevented a possible indefinite blackout across the state. That decision left millions of Texans without power and persisted for a third day Wednesday, as outages remained prolonged in San Antonio and other parts of the state. 😷 (@Ron_Nirenberg) February 16, 2021Local and state officials have heaped much of the blame for the prolonged power outages on ERCOT. Magness conceded there was no clear timeline on when the power grid would return to normal and that the prolonged outages had to be maintained much longer than anyone would have wanted.

SAN ANTONIO – As Lea Ann Tinney shivered through a Monday without power inside her home in the Government Hill neighborhood, she consulted a CPS Energy power outage map that stated only six customers in her 78208 zip code were affected. Tinney then walked outside and counted at least five other homes that were without power at that very moment. Gold-Williams and a utility spokesman defended CPS’s response to the winter storm, pointing out that it was a significant weather event followed by a prolonged period of freezing temperatures. “CPS Energy is going to continue to analyze its performance, how we did, what else we could do, but there are just natural limitations to the system that normally works extremely well 360 days a year,” Gold-Williams said. A utility spokesman said Tuesday afternoon that it had advised customers to begin conserving energy usage as early as last Wednesday, ahead of the storm that hit Sunday night.