Posted on 08/04/2011 4:27:46 PM PDT by dragnet2
HOUSTON, Aug 4 (Reuters) - Extreme heat and soaring power demand may force the Texas power grid operator to impose rolling outages on Thursday to prevent a wider blackout as residents struggle with a record-breaking heatwave.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, ERCOT, warned there was a high risk of rolling outages as the state's power reserves were nearly wiped
The state -- broiling under a relentless streak of 100-plus Fahrenheit temperatures and drought...straining power plants.
Earlier, ERCOT moved to curtail power to some industrial customers Thursday afternoon as a way to boost surplus power to keep residential air conditioners
Rolling, or rotating, outages are temporary controlled outages where power delivery companies cut to small areas for periods of 45 minutes or so.
Real-time power prices again jumped to the maximum cap of $3,000 per megawatt-hour while power for Friday delivery rose to nearly $600 per MWh, the highest in more than a decade.
Texas also saw record power monthly power peaks in May, June and July.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
The blackouts that were initated this winter in Texas were at about 60% of the peak load they delivered last summer.
The on line capacity varies due to maintenance and availability, and wind.
The redline is approximately 2000MW between available capacity and load.
When it gets that close, that’s when you start seeing these media alerts.
It’s not the total amount, it’s the margin, and the unpredictable capacity fluctuations.
The load’s pretty predictable on time of day and temperature.
All I know is this: It’s 6:20, it’s 103 degrees here, and I still have electricity.
It’s a good day.
14 minutes ago
Just a few weeks ago, the state’s electricity grid manager assured Texans that ample power was available to get through the hot days of summer.
But that forecast was calculated merely on the routinely brutal Texas temperatures, not the hellish chain of record-setting 100-degree-plus days
http://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/editorials/20110804-editorial-texans-save-energy-now-or-pay-a-steeper-price-later.ece
Texans, save energy now or pay a steeper price later
Sounds like a threat....
Of course, once everyone starts conserving, they'll jack up the rates anyway.
My employer was put on notice early today that this might happen. I guess all large consumers got the same notice. We have plenty of generator power available but took extra precautions and reduced consumption in the facility where possible. Now I’m at home and keeping my fingers crossed they don’t have to start the rolling blackouts. It happened here during that extreme cold spell in the winter. This is the worst heat I can recall in the last 20 years.
The Texas grid conditions can be seen here in real time:
We never reached predicted peak usage today, close but not quite.
I doubt we’ll see rolling black outs this summer.
3 hours ago
HOUSTON, Aug 4 (Reuters) - Extreme heat and soaring power demand forced the Texas grid agency to curtail power for some industrial customers on Thursday afternoon
See#8...Texas grid cuts power for some industrial customers
Hate to sound DUish...but I bet some of those black outs will never touch Highland Park Dallas...
Just guessing.
Those industrial customers are on contract with ERCOT to have their power turned off during peak times. They get paid for it.
It’s part ERCOT’s plan to avoid rolling blackouts.
Evil rich people...
8:}
Sounds like their power hungry too.
“Texas grid says risk of power outages rises amid heat (Possible rolling outages)”
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Well no sh!t!!!
When you are trying to cool the homes of legal citizens PLUS one and a half million invaders from ME-HEE-CO....
They’re also demolishing a large number of power plants around the state. There goes our extra capacity.
***The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, ERCOT, warned there was a high risk of rolling outages as the state’s power reserves were nearly wiped***
Well, Tex, all those coal fired power plants you were going to build a few years ago should be ready to come on line now, IF YOU HAD BUILT THEM instead of caving to the greenies.
So get your politicians out to the windmills and debate wind power there. The hot air should keep the wind power going for a while! ;-D
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