Texas Power Crisis

[Nithavela]

Ted Cruz has the answer!

BBC News - Texas Senator Ted Cruz flew to Mexico amid state energy crisis https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-56117800

Now that's what I call making a game plan and thinking outside the box.

 

[Halbhh]

Just, BTW. this has happened several times before, most recently in 2011. There was a 300 page FERC (federal) report after the 2011 debacle. This report detailed the required fixes, including insulation and other measures against the cold. The state posted "best practices". The power companies did little. The state government forced nothing. They are not connected to the national grid and don't have to listen to anything FERC says.

If Texas wants to operate their own electrical system, their government needs to held responsible.
=====
BOTTOM LINE, this situation is a consequence of the refusal of the voters of Texas to accept rules or regulations, or to require their representatives to force requirements of the power companies.

Interesting.

Probably the ideology (if that was the real reason) for not requiring the winterization but only stating it as just voluntary best practices is the ideological principle of freedom of enterprise.

That's familiar territory for me, having discussed it a lot in the past many years ago (close to 20 years back now).

In this ideological system of pure free enterprise without regulation, the only correcting force on the actions of individuals and businesses that harm others is to be liable for monetary damages.

Liability for the costs/damages done to other parties.

In a system in which there is neither liability nor adequate regulation -- not either -- then you have a lot of serious abuses over time.

 

[TLK Valentine]

Now that's what I call making a game plan and thinking outside the box.

Not really -- it's the same old "Love it or Leave it" that Conservatives have been spewing for decades.

 

[cow451]

I worked for utilities for 30 years,, mostly on the financial and regulatory side of the business.

There are several reasons for the crisis. One is NOT because of the 10% of wind turbines not helping (since they usually are not significant in winter).

1) Texas chose to refuse to have an system linked to other states. Texas didn't wanted to meet federal standards so they decided on a Texas-only system. When other areas are down, other states can help. Former Governor Perry said that Texans would bear lots more days in order to being connect to the federal grid, and to forced to meet their rules. Lots of freezing Texans disagree.

2) Natural gas plants simply weren't prepared and ready. The equipment couldn't operate, and couldn't be restarted.

3) ERCOT and state REFUSED to have necessary regulations to force the gas industry to have safeguards.

Texas might want to go ahead and leave the Union now since they can carry all their belongings on their backs.

 

[stevil]

I just don't understand why conservatives want to waste time attacking wind power when it has nothing to do with their problem. Why is there such undying devotion to this lie. This is the problem when you wish to love in another reality.

From what I gather, the "right" the conservatives in USA imagine that they are in a political war.
They want everything to be blamed on the left, Democrats, Socialists, greenies.

If their news sources aren't blaming everything on these things then they stop watching and they seek out other news sources which will give them what they want to hear.

 

[Desk trauma]

Now that's what I call making a game plan and thinking outside the box.

 

[cow451]

Now that's what I call making a game plan and thinking outside the box.

Comrades! Ted Cancun! What a load of stuff he does. Great Father and enemy of liberals and windmills. Who knew Winter was coming? How can Senator from Taxes know about Winter? And evil daughters making him go to hot places. Send them to their condo for time out to think about their shellfish behavior!

 

[Pommer]

From what I gather, the "right" the conservatives in USA imagine that they are in a political war.
They want everything to be blamed on the left, Democrats, Socialists, greenies.

If their news sources aren't blaming everything on these things then they stop watching and they seek out other news sources which will give them what they want to hear.

Well, it certainly isn’t their fault!

 

[loveofourlord]

Because their own greed and shortsightedness has plenty to do with the problem... but they're in no hurry to attack that.

Or stop it by being ready by having more sources of energy that doesn't pay them billions a year.

 

[variant]

From what I gather, the "right" the conservatives in USA imagine that they are in a political war.
They want everything to be blamed on the left, Democrats, Socialists, greenies.

If their news sources aren't blaming everything on these things then they stop watching and they seek out other news sources which will give them what they want to hear.

It seems like people would actually want to know why their power went out.

 

[rambot]

Ted Cruise: To use your wealth and privilege to escape obligation (Stated or unstated) to others.

 

[essentialsaltes]

Now that the power companies have had time to assess everything, they're ready to get their hands dirty with the tough job of spending millions of dollars on lobbyists to ensure legislators get to hear the concerns of poor hard-working energy utilities.

WFAA found energy-related industries this legislative session have hired 338 lobbyists, spending up to $24 million for their services in the first three-and-a-half months of this year. That’s more than the companies spent all of 2019, the last time the legislature was in session, the analysis found.

“We’ve set up the ERCOT casino over on the side with a bunch of electricity and energy traders,” Hirs said. “That doesn’t exist in a regulated market...The big losers: the consumers. Almost 200 dead and $50 billion changing hands from the consumer side of the ledger to the consumer side.

“There are no lobbyists in Austin looking out for the consumer," Hirs added. "That's of course what the legislators are supposed to do….”

 

[Nithavela]

Now that the power companies have had time to assess everything, they're ready to get their hands dirty with the tough job of spending millions of dollars on lobbyists to ensure legislators get to hear the concerns of poor hard-working energy utilities.

WFAA found energy-related industries this legislative session have hired 338 lobbyists, spending up to $24 million for their services in the first three-and-a-half months of this year. That’s more than the companies spent all of 2019, the last time the legislature was in session, the analysis found.

“We’ve set up the ERCOT casino over on the side with a bunch of electricity and energy traders,” Hirs said. “That doesn’t exist in a regulated market...The big losers: the consumers. Almost 200 dead and $50 billion changing hands from the consumer side of the ledger to the consumer side.

“There are no lobbyists in Austin looking out for the consumer," Hirs added. "That's of course what the legislators are supposed to do….”

If the consumers want the legislators to look out for them, where are their lobbyists, hmm?

 

[essentialsaltes]

How it started (12/21):

Gov. Abbott, PUC, ERCOT All Say Texas' Power Grid is Ready for the Approaching Arctic Storm​

How it's going (12/22):

 

[SimplyMe]

How it started (12/21):

Gov. Abbott, PUC, ERCOT All Say Texas' Power Grid is Ready for the Approaching Arctic Storm​

How it's going (12/22):
View attachment 325519

It appears Texas will make it through this cold front. Overnight there was more than enough power to meet demand and as power demand has gone up today, there has been enough power to meet the demand. I suspect that the worst threat is over -- temperatures are going up today and, while still below freezing, power demand overnight should be lower than it was yesterday. For those interested, ERCOT (the Electric Reliability Council of Texas) has a dashboard where you can see the current grid conditions and demand.

 

[HARK!]

United States Power Outage Map

PowerOutage.us tracks, records, and aggregates power outages across the United States.

poweroutage.us

All is well in TX.

 

[iluvatar5150]

 

[HARK!]

View attachment 325594

Context fail.

 

[essentialsaltes]

Texas power grid operator approved for a 40% budget increase​

The Texas electric grid operator’s budget will grow 40% next year, adding nearly $119 million to its current $287 million budget. Much of that will come from charging higher fees to companies that sell power to consumers.

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas needs more money to comply with new regulations, hire more employees and fight legal challenges, its lawyers wrote in state filings. ERCOT planned to grow its 843-person staff by 171 positions, adding attorneys, system operators and communications experts.

ERCOT budget documents show it proposes to spend $15.4 million more on the department and hire 14 attorneys.

"It's a large number of people they want to add in both legal and in their communications/PR department," Reed said in an interview. "Do they really need that many employees for things that aren't really their core function?"

ERCOT is also still dealing with the fallout from the grid’s near-collapse during the deadly February 2021 winter storm, when all types of power sources stopped working in frigid temperatures, plunging millions of Texans into darkness for days after ERCOT directed power utilities to shut down large swaths of the grid to prevent a catastrophic failure. Hundreds of people died.

--

At least ERCOT is generating more of something. Too bad it seems to be lawsuits.

 

[rambot]

View attachment 325590

View attachment 325591

United States Power Outage Map

PowerOutage.us tracks, records, and aggregates power outages across the United States.

poweroutage.us

All is well in TX.

Is this, in all seriousness, meant to be a retort?

1) Please show how many died?
2021 Texas power crisis - Wikipedia.
246 perscribed directly to the event.
706 EXCESS deaths during that time frame.