Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Head of Texas Grid Discusses Blackouts

by Kate Galbraith
February 3, 2011
9 Comments

The chief executive of ERCOT, the Texas grid operator, said that "extremely cold" temperatures and windy conditions caused valves, pipes and other equipment in some power plants to fail, which in turn triggered the need for rolling blackouts across Texas yesterday.

"There's really no pattern that we're observing," said Trip Doggett, in a press conference this afternoon. "It was spread across the state. No particular area of the state; no particular owner of the generation. It included units that were online that tripped offline. It also included units that were attempting to come online that were unsuccessful."

ERCOT ...

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Comments (9)

February 3, 2011 @ 3:44 p.m.

Bob Brown via Texas Tribune on Facebook

We don't want to tie into the US Grid but we tie into Mexico?
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February 3, 2011 @ 3:51 p.m.

Michael Giberson via Texas Tribune on Facebook

Maybe connections to Mexico are okay because it isn't "interstate commerce"?
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February 3, 2011 @ 4:16 p.m.

Chris Thornton via Texas Tribune on Facebook

This is our wake-up call. We must upgrade our infrastructure or we're gonna face even more blackouts, in winter and in summer. We can't ignore the problem any longer. We must start producing more electricity.
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February 3, 2011 @ 4:42 p.m.

Maria Cristina Uribe-Short via Texas Tribune on Facebook

@Chris - hilarious!!! With what money??
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February 3, 2011 @ 4:48 p.m.

Michael Cosper via Texas Tribune on Facebook

Where is the money, we spent it all bailing out the banks. I heard that Mexico decided not to send electricity.
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February 3, 2011 @ 5:24 p.m.

Mark Wentlandt via Texas Tribune on Facebook

Alex Jones really ratcheted up the crazy on this subject. I find him to be much like the family mutts. Right about the time you forget they're dogs, not people, they go and eat a cat turd.

It's a good read if you're in need of a quick larf.
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February 3, 2011 @ 5:25 p.m.

Ben Martinez via Texas Tribune on Facebook

With big oil controlling our gov and most of the legislature, forget about money for infrastructure. Never happen.
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February 3, 2011 @ 9:40 p.m.

Scott Kilpatrick via Texas Tribune on Facebook

Don't forget the unwillingness of the people to accept higher taxes that pay for necessary public services.
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February 4, 2011 @ 11:01 a.m.

jpt51

Looks like a change in state law is needed to avoid another news blackout in the future. Where is the Freedom of Information Law when you need it? Is Rick Perry going to become even less transparent than in the past? It appears he doesn't trust us. I wonder why?