Texas TV Station Stays on Air During Power Upgrade

KCBD NewsChannel 11 in Lubbock improvised broadcasts as it installed a high-capacity backup generator.

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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KCBD NewsChannel 11, the NBC affiliate in Lubbock, Texas, spent part of this week broadcasting in near darkness as the station underwent a major power upgrade. With much of the newsroom dark, anchors and reporters improvised to stay on the air, using battery-powered lights, laptops, and even iPhones to deliver the news and weather updates to viewers.

Why it matters

The power upgrade, which included installing a high-capacity backup generator, is a critical investment for the station as it prepares to withstand severe weather and grid failures that can cripple electrical service in the region. By ensuring its ability to stay on the air even during outages, KCBD is bolstering its role as a vital source of news and information for the local community.

The details

The power transition temporarily knocked out much of the building's electricity on Thursday, forcing the station to power its control room with a separate generator while the newsroom went dark. News director Matt Ernst addressed the unusual scene on air, explaining the upgrade would ensure KCBD could continue broadcasting even if the local grid failed. By early Friday morning, power had returned to most of the building, but the station still faced technical limitations, with anchors and reporters using battery-powered lights, laptops, and iPhones to deliver the news.

  • The power upgrade began early Thursday morning.
  • KCBD was broadcasting and getting its signal to viewers throughout Thursday using a separate generator powering the control room.
  • By early Friday morning, power had returned to most of the building.

The players

KCBD NewsChannel 11

The NBC-affiliated TV station in Lubbock, Texas, that was undergoing a major power upgrade.

Matt Ernst

The news director at KCBD who addressed the unusual broadcasting conditions on air.

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What they’re saying

“The idea is when the power goes out here, we will not be in the dark so we can still deliver what is needed to you at home. This will give us the backup we need for our entire building so in the event of a power outage, we're good to go and we can continue.”

— Matt Ernst, News Director (chron.com)

“This morning we do have power on. You can see the lights are on, the computers are working some of the time. We actually are just kind of struggling with no video, no graphics to show you, things like that.”

— Angie Winn, Anchor (chron.com)

“In the newsroom, it's freezing. Where our directors are, and all of our technical producers are, they have no AC in there, and it's burning up. So we have everything cooling down in the station to help them out back there so they can get their job done.”

— Angie Winn, Anchor (chron.com)

What’s next

The station is expected to complete the power upgrade in the coming days, ensuring its ability to stay on the air even during severe weather or grid failures that could cripple electrical service in the region.

The takeaway

KCBD's power upgrade demonstrates the critical importance of resilient broadcasting infrastructure, especially in areas prone to extreme weather and grid instability. By investing in a high-capacity backup generator, the station is bolstering its role as a vital source of news and information for the Lubbock community.