PSA: Mandatory Rolling Power Outages in Texas

[dougp]

ERCOT has initiated mandatory power outages due to plants freezing and having issues due to the weather. This means everyone in Texas will be experiencing power outages in order to compensate for those plants being down. Just wanted to let people know - I work for an EDI company, so hopefully we can get more details from ERCOT with a schedule, but right now there's no ETA For when it will end.

 

[Texashiker]

Rolling power outages in the summer, rolling power outages in the winter,,,,,, seems this is getting to be a way of life.

I'll be glad when texas gets that big wind farm built in the gulf of mexico.

 

[Crusty]

Hooray for having our own power grid....

 

[Vette73]

Please stop with your hippy lies. Everyone knows texas is the best state and they don't have problems like those liberal states.


I am sure many in Texas don't have true heat systems (Nat gas, heat pumps, etc...) so many of them are using electric as well. Probable not helping.

 

[Crusty]

Please stop with your hippy lies. Everyone knows texas is the best state and they don't have problems like those liberal states.


I am sure many in Texas don't have true heat systems (Nat gas, heat pumps, etc...) so many of them are using electric as well. Probable not helping.

I've got gas heat here, but I couldn't turn my stove on earlier... not enough pressure.

 

[TwiceOver]

Wow. Power plant freezing?

 

[KMFJD]

And we just received a call where the client was in a building without any power and was wondering why the wifi doesn't work....

/omfg they called back

 

[dougp]

Wow. Power plant freezing?

Yes, plants in Dallas are not designed for the weather they're getting.

I was also not aware of rolling outages in the summer, but I live in Houston which is essentially the energy corridor of TX.

 

[rcpratt]

Rolling power outages in the summer, rolling power outages in the winter,,,,,, seems this is getting to be a way of life.

I'll be glad when texas gets that big wind farm built in the gulf of mexico.

Because surely wind is the answer for constant, uninterrupted power.

 

[Texashiker]

Please stop with your hippy lies. Everyone knows texas is the best state and they don't have problems like those liberal states.

The population of Texas has grown faster then our energy production can keep up. Part of the problem is a big cold front, and most people use electricity to heat their homes.

I blame the liberal parasites moving to Texas so they can take care of the illegal immigrants. If they would mind their own business and say in places like California, Texas would be a better place to live.

Because surely wind is the answer for constant, uninterrupted power.

Not that wind is the answer - our energy production has not kept up with population growth. We have to do something to increase our production. I dont think more coal or natural gas power plants are the answer either.

I was also not aware of rolling outages in the summer, but I live in Houston which is essentially the energy corridor of TX.

The Beaumont, port arthur, nederland, orange areas will sometimes have rolling black outs in the summer.

 

[rcpratt]

Not that wind is the answer - our energy production has not kept up with population growth. We have to do something to increase our production. I dont think more coal or natural gas power plants are the answer.

But you think wind is baseload power. Got it.

 

[KeithP]

Wow, it must be cold in Texas. There is an upside however. Maybe illegals crossing the border will think they walked too far and are in Canada. They might turn around at that point and head back south.

-KeithP

 

[Rubycon]

Wow. Power plant freezing?

Must be running Windows Vista...

Too many windows open!

 

[bignateyk]

So how's refusing to join the power grid with the rest of the country working out for you?

 

[Josh123]

Pshhh, no power? No problem!

Country boys can survive

 

[CPA]

Please stop with your hippy lies. Everyone knows texas is the best state and they don't have problems like those liberal states.


I am sure many in Texas don't have true heat systems (Nat gas, heat pumps, etc...) so many of them are using electric as well. Probable not helping.

uh, most have natural gas heating.

 

[TheBDB]

I had mine this morning from 6 to 6:30.

 

[dougp]

So how's refusing to join the power grid with the rest of the country working out for you?

I'll take it over y'all. Rolling brown out's are much better than what happened to the north a few years ago.

 

[her209]

I would say "LOL Texas" but that would be redundant.

 

[PottedMeat]

heh everyone on electric heat was probably running full blast - i wonder how big the current surge is when sections are turned back on



packers/steelers are probably loling at how little snow cripples the metroplex.

 

[Paratus]

I don't understand why this is necessary. In Houston we've lost no plants as near as I can tell yet my power provider has been turning off the power 50min of every hour. House is starting to get a might chilly.

 

[dougp]

Mid-morning Update:
During the early morning hours, the ERCOT grid began experiencing numerous forced outages of generation due to the cold weather. As of 9 am, more than 7,000 MW of capacity was still out of service or not producing at its expected level.
Rotating outages were implemented around 5:30 a.m. this morning to shed 4000 MW of load. The rotating outages are continuing as this time, although the amount has been reduced to about 3000 MW.
We expect the rolling outages to continue until a sufficient amount of generation is back online. We are continuing the appeal for energy conservation.
Further updates will be provided when additional information is available.


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- 6:54 am
Contact: Dottie Roark, ERCOT, 512-225-7024
Power Emergency - Conservation CRITICAL--Rotating Outages Have Begun
Feb. 2, 2011, Austin -- The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) has instructed utilities to begin rotating outages to compensate for a generation shortage due to numerous plant trips that occurred because of the extreme weather.
Rotating outages are controlled, temporary interruptions of electric service, typically lasting 10-45 minutes per neighborhood. The locations and durations are determined by the local utilities. Critical need customers such as hospitals and nursing homes are generally not included.
It is not known at this time how long the need for rotating outages will last.
Consumers and businesses are urged to reduce their electricity use to the lowest level possible, including these steps:
* Limit electricity usage to only that consumption which is absolutely necessary. Turn off all unnecessary lights, appliances, and electronic equipment.
* Businesses should minimize the use of electric lighting and electricity-consuming equipment as much as possible.
* Large consumers of electricity should consider shutting down or reducing non-essential production processes.
See more conservation tips at "Powerful Advice," Public Utility Commission of Texas:
www.puc.state.tx.us./ocp/conserve<http://www.puc.state.tx.us./ocp/conserve<http://www.puc.state.tx.us./ocp/conserve<http://www.puc.state.tx.us./ocp/conserve>>
BACKGROUND
A Power Emergency indicates that the regional electric grid operator, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), has instructed utilities to implement rotating outages to reduce load.
Rotating outages are controlled, temporary interruptions of electrical service initiated by each utility when supplies of reserve power are exhausted. Without this safety valve, generators would overload and begin shutting down to avoid damage, risking a domino effect of a region-wide outage.
Rotating outages primarily affect residential neighborhoods and small businesses and do not typically include critical-need customers such as hospitals and nursing homes.
The outages are limited to 10-45 minutes before being rotated to a different neighborhood. Some customers may experience longer outages if power surges cause equipment failure during the restoration process. Customers can minimize power surges by turning off appliances, lights and other equipment, except for one task light to determine when power has been restored.
ERCOT REGION
The ERCOT Region includes Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio, Austin, Corpus Christi, Abilene and the Rio Grande Valley. It does not include the El Paso area, the Texas Panhandle, Northeast Texas (Longview, Marshall and Texarkana), and Southeast Texas (Beaumont, Port Arthur, and the Woodlands). Region map: http://www.ercot.com/news/mediakit/maps/index.html

 

[CPA]

I don't understand why this is necessary. In Houston we've lost no plants as near as I can tell yet my power provider has been turning off the power 50min of every hour. House is starting to get a might chilly.

Which is funny, my power didn't go out once and I left for work around 8am.

 

[Rubycon]

heh everyone on electric heat was probably running full blast - i wonder how big the current surge is when sections are turned back on



packers/steelers are probably loling at how little snow cripples the metroplex.

At least resistance heat does not have a large inrush.
Heat pumps without TDR equipped compressors drawing LRA when power comes on - now that's a big inrush!

 

[ElFenix]

ercot is claiming that 7000 MW that should be online is offline.

power has gone out here at the building twice before i got here. then again, the electric reliability in this area is terrible.