Texas Grid is on the Edge Again!

[BoomerD]

I chuckle at Tex-Ass's power problems. They all laughed when Enron, Duke, and the other major piwer producers bent California over in...2001? Badically cost California it's governor, Gray Davis and set up Ah-Nold to screw the state.
Nice to see it hitting home for them.

 

[SteveGrabowski]

I chuckle at Tex-Ass's power problems. They all laughed when Enron, Duke, and the other major piwer producers bent California over in...2001? Badically cost California it's governor, Gray Davis and set up Ah-Nold to screw the state.
Nice to see it hitting home for them.

Shit I didn't laugh, I was literally flashing a new BIOS onto my board the second Enron pulled our power in LA and I had to get Abit to send me a new BIOS chip. Yeah that was all about Enron being scared of Gray Davis being able to beat Bush in 2004.

 

[SteveGrabowski]

At least in Oklahoma they spread it over all gas customers, $15/mo for like 20 years. So people like me that let my house cool to the 50s pay the same as empty office buildings that were heated to 75 and dickhead rednecks that turned up their thermostats every time they were asked to turn them down.

Ugh I swear I'm putting the thermostat to 63 and leaving it there the second we start getting temps in the 60s.

 

[SteveGrabowski]

Looks like we're going to skate by the skin of our nuts, with it being really close from about 7:55 CST to 8:35 CST. Figured the blackouts were going to happen this time since I got an alert from the state on my phone warning me rolling blackouts were possible and last time I got one of those was 15 minutes before my power went out and we went through five days of rolling blackouts thanks to some beautiful sunny days in the mid to high 20s.

 

[Dulanic]

A system like this is ripe for corruption to cut supply yet earn tons more money as a result.

 

[MtnMan]

So what are actually power bills for families in Texas?

 

[Zorba]

BTW: A decent power grid:

 

[SteveGrabowski]

A system like this is ripe for corruption to cut supply yet earn tons more money as a result.

And the state of Texas will not investigate. A couple of other nearby states are, even red ass Oklahoma, for the price fixing in 2021 where we had a lot of natural gas taken offline right before the storm came in. Same thing when we had a half day of rolling blackouts in the winter of 2011.

 

[Paratus]

And the state of Texas will not investigate. A couple of other nearby states are, even red ass Oklahoma, for the price fixing in 2021 where we had a lot of natural gas taken offline right before the storm came in. Same thing when we had a half day of rolling blackouts in the winter of 2011.

Almost like they set up ERCOT specifically for that.

 

[SteveGrabowski]

Almost like they set up ERCOT specifically for that.

Almost?

 

[SteveGrabowski]

Almost like they set up ERCOT specifically for that.

Jeez where are you at to have a temp of 106.3 and a dewpoint of 83? I wanted to jump in front of a train when it was 105 with a dewpoint of 78 one day in June on the NE side of San Antonio. Heat index was 125 that day but JFC your heat index would be 137.

 

[Dulanic]

So what are actually power bills for families in Texas?

Last month $600. That includes the $25 surcharge to repay the feb freeze of 21 that I'll have to pay for the next 20 years. That does include about $50 in charging my EV.

 

[Paratus]

Jeez where are you at to have a temp of 106.3 and a dewpoint of 83? I wanted to jump in front of a train when it was 105 with a dewpoint of 78 one day in June on the NE side of San Antonio. Heat index was 125 that day but JFC your heat index would be 137.

South of Houston about a dozen miles from the coast.

My weather station was saying a feels like temp of 135F today. 😱

 

[SteveGrabowski]

South of Houston about a dozen miles from the coast.

My weather station was saying a feels like temp of 135F today. 😱

FUUUUUCK. I lived in Third Ward in Houston for a while and that was hot enough, though it was also 25 years ago before Texas had really started heating the way we have the last 15.

 

[SteveGrabowski]

nm

 

[fleshconsumed]

Last month $600. That includes the $25 surcharge to repay the feb freeze of 21 that I'll have to pay for the next 20 years. That does include about $50 in charging my EV.

So why wouldn't Texans put solar panels on? At that kind of monthly bill solar panels should pay for themselves in 5 years.

 

[Dulanic]

I don't have solar due to my roof shape. It is very odd and restrictive. The rate I pay isn't crazy it's just with the heat and having 2 ac units I takes a lot of power.

 

[Paratus]

So why wouldn't Texans put solar panels on? At that kind of monthly bill solar panels should pay for themselves in 5 years.

I’ve got a whole home generator already but once my roof is replaced in the next 5 years or so I’ll likely add panels. I’m currently paying $0.126/kWh for 100% renewables anyway.

 

[Jorgp2]

I just popped in here to check the forums after a few year, and I'm pretty sure I've lost brain cells from everything said in this post.

 

[Paratus]

I just popped in here to check the forums after a few year, and I'm pretty sure I've lost brain cells from everything said in this post.

Go on…..

 

[sdifox]

I just popped in here to check the forums after a few year, and I'm pretty sure I've lost brain cells from everything said in this post.

so your brain literally melted?

 

[SMOGZINN]

Last month $600. That includes the $25 surcharge to repay the feb freeze of 21 that I'll have to pay for the next 20 years. That does include about $50 in charging my EV.

That seems a bit high. I live in North Texas near Dallas, where it the temps have been 101+ for over 30 straight days.
I just got my bill for the month of August :

Charge Details - 29 Day Billing Period From 07/20/2023 To 08/18/2023
Energy Charge 2,666 kWh @ $0.085882/kWh 228.96
Oncor Electric Delivery Charges 106.86
Gross Receipts Tax Reimbursement 6.70
Current Charges $342.52

The average price you paid for electric service this month (per kWh) $0.126

 

[akugami]

lol over 1000 per mWh, I don't pay a thousand for the month... Shouldn't all Texans have solar panel on roof by now?

As much as the GOP like to trash renewables, Texas produces over 25% of its energy from renewables. Texas would die, literally die, if not for renewables.

For those in Texass, you might be better off installing a generator hookup, and buying a generator and running it off gasoline for cases like now. Jeebus, those prices!

The electric portion of my utility bills last month was $35. Some months the electric company pays me. We do have thermostat wars in our household. Wife keeps turning the thermostat up to 76. Me and the kids like it at 72. She needs to just wear a sweater in the summer.

 

[Drach]

Here in the California coastal area my average bill averaged out over the year is around $100 a month.
I don't have air conditioning but really don't need it.
I am very frugal about heat only kicking it on when the temp drops below 60*.

Texas rates are horrible when the shit hits the fan.
You guys in Texas should demand your legislators to join the US grid.
I remember living in Houston in 1985 trying to be frugal with energy use and had $200 a month bills. AC wasn't an optional thing in Houston. You needed it to live.

 

[kt]

That seems a bit high. I live in North Texas near Dallas, where it the temps have been 101+ for over 30 straight days.
I just got my bill for the month of August :

Charge Details - 29 Day Billing Period From 07/20/2023 To 08/18/2023
Energy Charge 2,666 kWh @ $0.085882/kWh 228.96
Oncor Electric Delivery Charges 106.86
Gross Receipts Tax Reimbursement 6.70
Current Charges $342.52

The average price you paid for electric service this month (per kWh) $0.126

2,666kWh per month? That's almost 92kWh a day. How many AC units do you have running?