  The Texan electric network in the Gulf Coast of the United States is
frequently hit by Tropical Cyclones (TC) causing widespread power outages, a
risk that is expected to substantially increase under global warming. Here, we
introduce a new approach of combining a probabilistic line fragility model with
a network model of the Texas grid to simulate the temporal evolution of
wind-induced failures of transmission lines and the resulting cascading power
outages from seven major historical hurricanes. The approach allows reproducing
observed supply failures. In addition, compared to a static approach, it
provides a significant advantage in identifying critical lines whose failure
can trigger large supply shortages. We show that protecting only 1% of total
lines can reduce the likelihood of the most destructive type of outages by a
factor of between 5 and 20. The proposed modelling approach could represent a
tool so far missing to effectively strengthen the power grids against future
hurricane risks even under limited knowledge.
