Texas Deep Freeze

Anybody find it ironic that Texas, a region of vast energy wealth and resources, is crippled and can’t use its own energy resources?

...dying for the economy.

There are multiple issues that they are facing. They virtually never get as cold as they are for extended periods of time. So, the wind mills wouldn't operate because they weren't build for cold weather. The pumps and pipes and fittings weren't winterized (grease and oil)for cold weather either. They didn't plan on snow covering the solar panels and hence no power. They also chose to be independent and stay off the national grid so they couldn't buy power either. It's especially tough because they were all under prepared.

The people that made those decisions should be updating their resumes and looking for other less demanding jobs.

No matter how intelligent we think we are, just look at history and see how powerful we actually are. No contest between humans versus mother nature, she always wins regardless of how prepared we are.

Little Feat
Sailin' Shoes
Cold, Cold, Cold
-- Lowell George

Cold, cold, cold
Cold, cold, cold
Freezing, it was freezing in that hotel
I had no money, my special friend was gone
The TV set was busted so she went along
I called room, room service,
I'm down here on my knees
A peach or a pear, or a coconut please,
But they was cold

Well it's been a month since I seen my girl
Or a dime to make the call
'Cause it passed me up, or it passed me by,
Or I couldn't decide at all
And I'm mixed up, I'm so mixed up
Don't you know I'm lonely
And I wish the world would get off of my case
And get on one of its own

Cold, cold, cold
Cold, cold, cold
That woman was freezing, freezing cold
Well I tried everything to warm her up
Now I'm living in this cold hotel
'Cause she passed me, up or she passed me by,
Or I couldn't decide at all
Oh I'm mixed up, yes I'm mixed up
Don't you know I'm lonely
Of all the things I had to do
I had to fall in love
You know she's cold

Turn your clock back woman when you see me comin' round
My feet don't, feet don't even touch the ground
don't be cold, don't be cold
don't be cold, don't be cold

Got thru it. This is a highly unlikely situation, but will never be zero. Highs in the low to mid-20's in Houston did us in. Glad it's over and food is returning to supermarkets. I had a pipe freeze but got it thawed before it burst. I also lost all voice communication for several hours, could text only during the height of this beast.

people got stuck paying $9/kwh and had $7k and $19k utility bills.

It's befuddling to hear well what do you want regulation these people signed up....

As a person, for a KwH to go from 12 cents to $9, is unconscionable. It's not politics at all.

In 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Federal Power Act, which charged the Federal Power Commission with overseeing interstate electricity sales. By not crossing state lines, Texas utilities avoided being subjected to federal rules.

ERCOT was formed in 1970, in the wake of a major blackout in the Northeast in November 1965, and it was tasked with managing grid reliability in accordance with national standards. The agency assumed additional responsibilities following electric deregulation in Texas a decade ago. The ERCOT grid remains beyond the jurisdiction of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which succeeded the Federal Power Commission and regulates interstate electric transmission.

Historically, the Texas grid's independence has been violated a few times. Even today, ERCOT is also not completely isolated from other grids — as was evident when the state imported some power from Mexico during the rolling blackouts of 2011. ERCOT has three ties to Mexico and — as an outcome of the "Midnight Connection" battle — it also has two ties to the eastern U.S. grid, though they do not trigger federal regulation for ERCOT. All can move power commercially as well as be used in emergencies, according to ERCOT spokeswoman Dottie Roark. A possible sixth interconnection project, in Rusk County, is being studied, and another ambitious proposal, called Tres Amigas, would link the three big U.S. grids together in New Mexico, though Texas' top utility regulator has shown little enthusiasm for participating.
Bottom line: Texas has its own grid to avoid dealing with the feds.

From the Texas Tribune.

Stay safe.

Don't blame the Green Energy. The WMs only supply about 12% of the power and the ones that didn't freeze were the only thing supplying power in some area. The MAJOR issue was the Natural GAS supplied generators plants.

My son in Austin has his "water" back. When he flushes the toilet he can tell the difference between before flushing and after.

Perhaps if they had dealt with the feds from the beginning they would have reliable electricity today.

dobs108

Texas wants deregulation and independence.

They got what they asked for, and failed to do it safely.

Don't come looking for help or a bailout from my tax dollars.

Texas, you did this to yourself, bail yourself out.

as much as anything else (or more), is the hypocrisy of politicians.

When New York was hammered by the hurricane, Texas Senator Cruz objected to the federal government providing assistance, "Why should Texas have to pay for New York's problems?"

Texas got hit by this bad winter storm, which had much worse effects than it should have had because the Texas utilities failed to winterize their equipment, and Senator Cruz was immediately whining that the Federal government needed to provide assistance to Texas more quickly.

(Yes, this is the same Senator Cruz who skipped out to Cancun, Mexico, to get away from the cold weather himself.)

- Tom -

Since this thread has taken a decidedly political turn I'm closing it.
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