Heat waves pushes Texas power grid into red zone

[Horse with no Name]

:(

When the rolling blackouts hit...will they blame Perry?

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/04/utilities-ercot-heatwave-idUSN1E77308Y20110804

>>>snip
HOUSTON, Aug 4 (Reuters) - The Texas power grid operator has scrambled this week to meet soaring electricity demand in the face of a brutal heat wave, and residents of the second most populous U.S. state are one power plant shut-down away from rolling blackouts.

Power demand for Electric Reliability Council of Texas, Inc, or ERCOT, which runs the power grid for most of the state, hit three consecutive records this week as Texans cranked up air conditioners to escape one of the hottest summers on record.
>>>snip

More generation supplies would come in handy, but state power generators can't be expected to prepare for every extreme, said Kent Saathoff, ERCOT's vice president of system planning and operations.

"You have to determine if it is worth spending millions or billions to avoid a one in 10-year event," Saathoff told reporters on Wednesday.



Ummm...I remember rolling brownouts in February too. How is TWICE in 6 months equate to a "one in 10 year event?
Texans pay HIGHER rates than ANYONE in the country for electricity after our electric companies were deregulated. Yet very little of it is put back in the infrastructure and the majority of it is put in corporate pockets.
You can rest assured that THIS is not a republican talking point.:(

[cutlassmama]

1. I'm willing to bet Kent won't be baking the hot Texas weather if the grid

goes down.

[MrTriumph]

2. Moment of shame: It was Democrats that deregulated energy in Texas

Sorry, it was team that signed off on this Texas screw up.

[rainbow4321]

3. Ding, ding, ding!!

Guess they are hoping we have short memories and don't remember the disasterous Super Bowl week!! Locals having to deal with rolling blackouts, others losing their electricity for a day or more, public transportation breaking down (DART trains). Meanwhile, we had to hear that all the NFL/Super Bowl related activities would be exempt from the blackouts (i.e NFL Experience week long event).

Before they start, once again, screwing over the residents, they should close down the malls and make all restaurants bump up their thermostat. My kids and I just got back from a restaurant this afternoon and it was so chilly that my daughter said "I shoulda brought my hoodie sweatshirt, I keep forgetting how cold they keep it in here"!!

[badtoworse]

4. ERCOT does not have a capacity market

That makes it very difficult to finance a plant since it has to rely on energy payments alone. If Texans want the reliability associated with adequate reserve margins, they should be willing to pay for it.

[dixiegrrrrl]

5. "a one in 10-year event"???????????????????

Are they really that much in denial?

[kestrel91316]

6. Perry's solution to the problem: prayer.

[w8liftinglady]

7. and you can see how much good THAT did....