I am doing fine. My son who lives 10 miles away from me has had rolling blackouts, but I am in a more rural area and have not had that yet. I have my thermostat at 60, but we have two small space heaters so hubby and I use those for whatever rooms we are in. Also, we started working from home on Jan 1, so we won’t need to drive anywhere for days.
A lot of ice. Ice tends to do that when it accumulates beyond 1/4 inch and especially beyond 1/2 inch accumulation.
Texas has its own electrical grid and plenty of excess power generation capability. Yet, right now, millions of Texans are freezing in the dark. Here’s why.
Texas both produces and consumes more electricity than any other state. Texas’ abundant natural resources, including natural gas, coal, and wind, are readily available to fuel our power plants.
Texas is the only one of the contiguous 48 states with its own stand-alone electricity grid, one of the three main grids in the U.S.: the Eastern Interconnection, Western Interconnection, and Texas Interconnection. The Texas Interconnection, which covers 213 of the 254 Texas counties, is managed by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, or ERCOT. Portions of Texas near the state’s borders are covered by the eastern and western grids.
Texas produces more electricity than it consumes and maintains a buffer referred to as the “state’s reserve margin.” This margin ensures that we should never have to suffer from rolling blackouts like California.
Then why are so millions of Texans without power right now? Why are we dealing with rolling blackouts?
The answer is all-too-familiar: our relationship with the federal government.
In anticipation of this unprecedented power demand, Texas could have maxed out power generation. However, we couldn’t. Like a lowly beggar, Texas had to first ask for permission from the federal government to generate enough power to keep our people warm. Why? Because cranking up our power plants to full production might violate federal pollution limits.
There is a clear metaphor here. Texans were powerless because our elected officials ceded authority to a slow-moving, uncaring gaggle of federal bureaucrats.
TEXIT means that we never have to ask permission to do what’s best for our people.
When you are contacting your elected officials to demand a vote on TEXIT, remember that there are real consequences to us staying in the union. Right now, someone is suffering because of their indecision or opposition. That someone might be you, your family, or your neighbors.
*** UPDATE *** Click here to download the actual order from the federal Department of Energy which specifies ERCOT’s reasons for asking permission including that “…ERCOT has been alerted that numerous generation units will be unable to operate at full capacity without violating federal air quality or other permit limitations.”
Wow. That really sucks...ajax wrote: ↑February 16th, 2021, 5:15 pm The Disgusting Reason That Millions of Texans Spent The Night Without Power
https://tnm.me/news/political/the-disgu ... hout-power
Texas has its own electrical grid and plenty of excess power generation capability. Yet, right now, millions of Texans are freezing in the dark. Here’s why.
Texas both produces and consumes more electricity than any other state. Texas’ abundant natural resources, including natural gas, coal, and wind, are readily available to fuel our power plants.
Texas is the only one of the contiguous 48 states with its own stand-alone electricity grid, one of the three main grids in the U.S.: the Eastern Interconnection, Western Interconnection, and Texas Interconnection. The Texas Interconnection, which covers 213 of the 254 Texas counties, is managed by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, or ERCOT. Portions of Texas near the state’s borders are covered by the eastern and western grids.
Texas produces more electricity than it consumes and maintains a buffer referred to as the “state’s reserve margin.” This margin ensures that we should never have to suffer from rolling blackouts like California.
Then why are so millions of Texans without power right now? Why are we dealing with rolling blackouts?
The answer is all-too-familiar: our relationship with the federal government.
In anticipation of this unprecedented power demand, Texas could have maxed out power generation. However, we couldn’t. Like a lowly beggar, Texas had to first ask for permission from the federal government to generate enough power to keep our people warm. Why? Because cranking up our power plants to full production might violate federal pollution limits.
There is a clear metaphor here. Texans were powerless because our elected officials ceded authority to a slow-moving, uncaring gaggle of federal bureaucrats.
TEXIT means that we never have to ask permission to do what’s best for our people.
When you are contacting your elected officials to demand a vote on TEXIT, remember that there are real consequences to us staying in the union. Right now, someone is suffering because of their indecision or opposition. That someone might be you, your family, or your neighbors.
*** UPDATE *** Click here to download the actual order from the federal Department of Energy which specifies ERCOT’s reasons for asking permission including that “…ERCOT has been alerted that numerous generation units will be unable to operate at full capacity without violating federal air quality or other permit limitations.”
We have a buried 1000 gallon propane tank, which we fill in the summer time.David13 wrote: ↑February 15th, 2021, 10:19 pm Propane is not cheap. You can be okay if you have a large tank and get it filled during nice weather when the price is low. But if you run out and have to buy when the price has gone high ... look out.
My neighbor used to heat with propane, but he was paying $800 a month. So he went to all wood. A $20 permit lets you take 20 cords? Or 10?
dc
I'm sure they'll spin this again.The crisis has made the state's energy grid the focus a fresh scrutiny, primarily due to its independence from the rest of the U.S. Critics say that allowed its infrastructure to shirk federal regulations that require cold-weather capabilities.
They need redundancy (if they don't already have it), not dependency. Help from neighboring grids should be further down the list in redundancies.gkearney wrote: ↑February 17th, 2021, 12:13 pm No man (or state) is an island.
Part of the problem here is that Texas, unlike every other state and Canadian Province attempted to go it alone and have its own power grid not connected to any others. While this can keep Texas from being sweapt up in the kind of cascading failures that we sometimes see such as the New York City blackout of 1966 it also means that Texas can not pull electricy from the wider grid in time of local crisis. So while California, Arizona, Utah and Nevada and other western states had power to spare there was no interconnect between them and Texas. Once the Texas grid started to fail there was no way to suppliment its needs from ouside.
4Joshua8 wrote: ↑February 17th, 2021, 12:31 pmThey need redundancy (if they don't already have it), not dependency. Dependency should be further down the list in redundancies.gkearney wrote: ↑February 17th, 2021, 12:13 pm No man (or state) is an island.
Part of the problem here is that Texas, unlike every other state and Canadian Province attempted to go it alone and have its own power grid not connected to any others. While this can keep Texas from being sweapt up in the kind of cascading failures that we sometimes see such as the New York City blackout of 1966 it also means that Texas can not pull electricy from the wider grid in time of local crisis. So while California, Arizona, Utah and Nevada and other western states had power to spare there was no interconnect between them and Texas. Once the Texas grid started to fail there was no way to suppliment its needs from ouside.
Ajax's post above that starts with "The Disgusting Reason That Millions of Texans Spent The Night Without Power" is very interesting and suggests that Texas would have it covered, if they'd just be able to govern themselves.
How much motive do they lose by making dependency their redundancy before making in-state redundancy a reality (if they haven't done so yet, which I assume they haven't to a great-enough degree)?gkearney wrote: ↑February 17th, 2021, 12:42 pm4Joshua8 wrote: ↑February 17th, 2021, 12:31 pmThey need redundancy (if they don't already have it), not dependency. Dependency should be further down the list in redundancies.gkearney wrote: ↑February 17th, 2021, 12:13 pm No man (or state) is an island.
Part of the problem here is that Texas, unlike every other state and Canadian Province attempted to go it alone and have its own power grid not connected to any others. While this can keep Texas from being sweapt up in the kind of cascading failures that we sometimes see such as the New York City blackout of 1966 it also means that Texas can not pull electricy from the wider grid in time of local crisis. So while California, Arizona, Utah and Nevada and other western states had power to spare there was no interconnect between them and Texas. Once the Texas grid started to fail there was no way to suppliment its needs from ouside.
Ajax's post above that starts with "The Disgusting Reason That Millions of Texans Spent The Night Without Power" is very interesting and suggests that Texas would have it covered, if they'd just be able to govern themselves.
While redundancy is great, and I would be surprised if it did not already exist to some degree, it is expensive to implement and takes time to do so. Interconnection to the existing U.S./Canadian grids would be simple and would buy the time needed to develop redundancy.
Maine is an example here, Maine can, most of the time generate enough electricity for it's needs and then some. Hydroelectric dams on the state's major rivers along with wind, some solar and tidal generation on the Bay of Fundy as well as one nuclear generator at Wiscassett keep the state fairly well supplied.
However even Maine with a small population and many years experience in dealing with sever winter weather does not try to "go it alone" rather it is interconnected with the power grids in the rest of New England, Quebec, and Atlantic Canada which give them a cushion against such situation. This interconnection also gives the rest of New England, Quebec and Atlantic Canada the same cushion as well.
Most states, and particular the smaller state are self reliant, Texas thought it was as well until now which is why is never bothered to interconnect with anyone else. Other states like Oklahoma and Kansas have seen some blackout but nothing on the scale of what we are seeing in Texas and nothing lasting as long either. So the question needs to be asked what was different in Texas than in the nearby states which also had the same weather conditions? The only answer that I can see is that Texas didn't have an interconnect and the others did.4Joshua8 wrote: ↑February 17th, 2021, 1:11 pmHow much motive do they lose by making dependency their redundancy before making in-state redundancy a reality (if they haven't done so yet, which I assume they haven't to a great-enough degree)?gkearney wrote: ↑February 17th, 2021, 12:42 pm4Joshua8 wrote: ↑February 17th, 2021, 12:31 pmThey need redundancy (if they don't already have it), not dependency. Dependency should be further down the list in redundancies.gkearney wrote: ↑February 17th, 2021, 12:13 pm No man (or state) is an island.
Part of the problem here is that Texas, unlike every other state and Canadian Province attempted to go it alone and have its own power grid not connected to any others. While this can keep Texas from being sweapt up in the kind of cascading failures that we sometimes see such as the New York City blackout of 1966 it also means that Texas can not pull electricy from the wider grid in time of local crisis. So while California, Arizona, Utah and Nevada and other western states had power to spare there was no interconnect between them and Texas. Once the Texas grid started to fail there was no way to suppliment its needs from ouside.
Ajax's post above that starts with "The Disgusting Reason That Millions of Texans Spent The Night Without Power" is very interesting and suggests that Texas would have it covered, if they'd just be able to govern themselves.
While redundancy is great, and I would be surprised if it did not already exist to some degree, it is expensive to implement and takes time to do so. Interconnection to the existing U.S./Canadian grids would be simple and would buy the time needed to develop redundancy.
Maine is an example here, Maine can, most of the time generate enough electricity for it's needs and then some. Hydroelectric dams on the state's major rivers along with wind, some solar and tidal generation on the Bay of Fundy as well as one nuclear generator at Wiscassett keep the state fairly well supplied.
However even Maine with a small population and many years experience in dealing with sever winter weather does not try to "go it alone" rather it is interconnected with the power grids in the rest of New England, Quebec, and Atlantic Canada which give them a cushion against such situation. This interconnection also gives the rest of New England, Quebec and Atlantic Canada the same cushion as well.
For me, it's part of the core of American values. We aren't "The" United States, we're "These" United States (or used to be). In other words, each state should be independent and able to exist on its own without help from other states. Trade is fine, but with core needs, states should be self sufficient.
The priority list should go like this:
1. Able to produce own needs.
2. Mitigate through redundancy.
3. Connection with neighbors.
Putting 3 as number 2 may destroy their motive for ever developing number 2 at all, as they'll feel they won't be able to justify it to the people they serve.
I agree, however, that it makes sense as a temporary measure while redundancy is put in place.
I mean, if all states had the same values, that's one thing. But since we're a wicked nation with most people in most states preferring wickedness, it seems like a bad choice to me to make dependency on any other state (or the Federal) a high priority. I view that dependency as a hazard/liability if it isn't being proactively replaced with self-sufficiency and redundancy.
But none of that addresses the issue that Texas was left isolated from the rest of the national power grids right at the moment they needed them most. They made their bed in texas and now they have to sleep in it as cold as it is.ajax wrote: ↑February 17th, 2021, 4:00 pm #1 - this is a once in a 20-30 year event for such a strong artic vortex to dive this far south and have such holding power.
#2 - the answers and problems are posted above gkearney, if you so choose to consider. I will post again for your viewing pleasure.
The truth about the Texas Electricity Crisis
https://industrialprogress.com/the-trut ... ty-crisis/
So You Want Green Energy Eh?
https://market-ticker.org/akcs-www?post=241603
Why There Are Rolling Blackouts in Texas During 10 Degree Weather
https://www.economicpolicyjournal.com/2 ... n.html?m=1
Bad policy kowtowing to politically correct science has left us with our pants down when we really needed it.
