High Temperatures Bring Call for Electricity Conservation
As the triple-digit temperatures stretch into August, Texas residents are blasting their air conditioners — and producing record-breaking demand on the electric grid that supplies 23 million customers in the state with power. Anticipating continuing strain on the state grid, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, the grid operator, asked that residents and businesses use less electricity from 3-7 p.m. today and the rest of the week.
Earlier today, a large generation unit went offline and was not able to come back on in time for the afternoon, during the peak hours of electricity use, according to Dottie Roark, spokeswoman ...
Comments (30)
Brooks Larkin Powell via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Broken link. :(
Texas Tribune via Texas Tribune on Facebook
fixed!
Christopher Thornton via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Hey ERCOT how about producing MORE electricity when demand is higher??? It's 110 degrees outside. We must use our A/C just to survive. There is no shortage of coal or natural gas in Texas. Therefore, there should be no excuse why ERCOT can't keep up their supply with our demand.
Tim ThèRockstâr via Texas Tribune on Facebook
ERCOT, Lies to justify their existence. Seems no one remembers this.
http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/theticker/entries/2011/05/31/ercot_says_it_will_have_plenty.html?cxntfid=blogs_statesman_business_blog
Dave Cortez via Texas Tribune on Facebook
You know what else there is plenty of? Sun and wind. whats wrong with conserving or cutting back? Imposing on your freedom to be a reckless consumer? What they're saying is try. Try to run your dishwasher, drier, washing machine, fox news box at a time thats not during peak demand. Critical thinking...it don't just save lives, it saves money.
Tim Tukaram Spotswood via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Peak load time for TX is not a time of day, it is simply JUL-SEP every year. We go through this every year and folks like ERCOT want to act like it is a surprise. 8:30 PM as I pulled into the drive it is 111 outside... I'm not creating the load... your imaginary friend god is. :P
Bill Carson
"High Temperatures Bring Call for Electricity Conservation." You first.
Any truth to the theory that all this hot air is left over from the special session?
Elmo
TXU turn your plants back on Tradinghouse and Lake Creek are shut down. Typical
BurningFeet
Jeepers, I hear the call of the North Texas Barton's Ignurt, hooting to his/her mates through the wires of the grid: incandescent......incandescent......incandescent. The haunting call of Barton's Ignurt sounds especially vacuous during the summer months.
Wallis Parnelle
It is very amusing, the people whining about incandesent bulbs dissappearing, because of the conservative Prz Bush signing off on the laws to enact senseable standards. Of course, it is the same people crying about their electric bills. Make your own electricity if you are one of these people, and leave the other 99% alone, to make intelligent decisions. Think the standard for usage should be tied to home sqaure footage, Increase rates for homes over 2500 sq. ft. and keep the rates for any home under 2500 sq ft. That would help cap the wasted power.
James Williams
The power companies can only generate the rated amount of load per unit. They can't generate more. Knowing this, ERCOT operates with a margin on load of between 10-20% of available generation at most times but when these high or low temperature periods occur, the margin decreases. This should be simple to understand. Just as simple - ERCOT is not a generator of electricity. They operate the grid. Luminant, NRG, Calpine and others are generators and I said earlier - they can only generate load to rated capacity. If you want more load then that has to come from new sources - new power plants, wind turbines, solar fields. Each of these have their own opposition's - sometimes vehement - to permitting, construction and operation. Oppositions include -> Coal/gas - Emissions, Wind -Eyesore, Birds, and Noise, Solar - Water Use.
The old units that some are clamoring to bring back on the grid are both unprofitable and cannot meet the EPA emission requirements. They will never be brought out of mothballs for those two reasons. Be prepared to see more of them go away following the initiation of the new emission laws that are coming in January. That will make it tighter than ever to maintain margin on the grid.
The wind and solar opportunities are out there but the transmission upgrades are still occurring. It will take some time to complete these upgrades. Even then, wind is still only 30% efficient so there are still inherent problems with base loading wind generation.
So, as consumers we can support the grid by increasing our thermostats to higher temperatures in the summer months. This action increases reliability.
jaime
There is a simple solution: Build More Power Plants.
We need both coal and nuclear powered energy production. Forget piddle power, that is solar, wind, and biomass. None is feasible for a modern, industrial society. They're play toys.
Solar is made to sit on the roofs of rich folks homes while the back up grid-connected system does the real work inside or to keep the deer feeders rotating on the "lease." Wind power is for con-men billionaires, such as Boone Pickens, to cash in on the subsidies and other shady deals. And biomass? Well, ask that idoit Willie Nelson what happened to his $4 million.
Elmo
Coal is not the answer till they get the mercury problem solved,. Clean natural gas is the answer and we have plenty of it. People who advocate coal are clueless.
James Williams
Mercury controls are available and, except for the media (bromated carbon), practical. The bromated carbon systems can easily get to EPA limits. So, no issue with Hg.
SO2 and NOx controls are a different animal. Very costly systems. Look for utilities to shy away from those costs opting instead for combined cycle plants. But there are emission issues with natural gas as well - namely NOx, methane, CO, etc...So, don't expect permitting these units to be easy.
Unfortunately, nuclear will not fly as the permitting and cost requirements are otherworldly.
Elmo
Mercury is NOT detected by our great TCEQ air monitors throughout the state. We are at the mercy of the plant operator therefore not accurate. Mercury is a killer and a by product of all coal plants. the biggest is in Limestone County. Mercury is ok? What the heck are you smoking bud?
James Williams
Where in my comment did you see that I said that TCEQ has great monitors or that mercury is harmless? Where did you see in my comment that I disagreed with the new laws. No where. Re-read my original post.
I can tell you, Bud, that the utilities are going to be required to limit, based on factors such as fuel types, their mercury emissions to new,much lower levels. The same utilities have completed testing and have proven that ACI (Activated Carbon Injection) does indeed allow coal power plants to emit levels that meet EPA rules. The same utilities that you seem to despise are smart enough to find processes and equipment that ensures compliance with laws. If it isn't cost effective to install those same systems, they will shut down those plants. This will create problems with the grid.
You are getting what you want from the new regulations. You should be very happy about that.
Elmo
No issue is what you said. You need to read your post bud. I have a issue when a county government recruits mercury emiiting coal plants with tax dollars. I have a issue with TCEQ who would allow 5 coal plants in one county because they only look at one plan emissions not all 5. I trust the TCEQ about as much as the EPA. Perry's cronies are at the TCEQ. Meanwhile they are allowed to shut down gas fired plants and we need the electricity or so says Ercot and Perry
James Williams
Wow, Bud. My statement was in regards to making those EPA mandated limits. That you read something else into it is not my problem.
But then, I guess making coal plants compliant is just not something you want? If your issue is being within the law regarding mercury emissions at a coal power plant then, yes, there is no issue. That those plants can be retrofitted to become compliant with laws regarding Hg emissions is irrefutable due to the development of new systems and processes. If your issue is coal in general, then no matter what anyone says you will disagree and be irritable doing it.
That Limestone has more than their fair share than most is something you could have addressed during the public comment period. I am not responsible for their existence. No matter how much you or the EPA wants to shut them down, there are systems that allow them to continue operation.
I would think that Limestone County would be very happy to have all of those power plant jobs available for the families in that area. The taxes they pay cannot be inconsequential. And remember, those taxes support you schools and county government too.
Once again - you are getting what you want - cleaner coal plants. Be happy.
Elmo
Your name must be Rick the slick Perry. What is it that you do not understand, MERCURY kills and makes people sick. The weakest link is your jobs comment. So with your reasoning let's recruit anything and everything with no regard for people or the enviroment. Hell it is just lives and people right?. It shows you are totally clueless my friend.
James Williams
Not your friend. You continue to assert that I believe that Hg is not dangerous. Not once did I state that Hg was not dangerous. I understand that it's harmful. Everyone who has taken a first year college science course understands the risks of it. This argument is pointless and a waste of time.
Christopher Thornton via Texas Tribune on Facebook
@Dave - I have no problem with putting up more windmills. They tried to do just that in the Texas panhandle until the environmentalist wackos complained about disturbing the environment when they would have to build huge power line towers to get the electricity from the windmills to the power grid.
I conserve electricity as much as I can because I like to keep what little money I have to spend on other things. But I'm not gonna sweat in my own house. My thermostat is set at 77 degrees and I have a ceiling fan in every room of the house. I don't care what time it is - when my clothes are dirty, I wash them, and when my dishes are dirty, I wash them, and I watch TV when I want to, and I play on the computer when I want to.
Elmo
You( not my friend) have won the clueless poster of the year award.
James Williams
Whatever, Elmo. Shouldn't you be talking to people in your neighborhood - postmen or firefighters - instead of posting nonsense? Oh, and tell Big Bird that my kid loves him. Cookie Monster, too.
Elmo
I swear your name is Obama. Comes out both ends
James Williams
...La la la, La la la - Elmo's Song...she loves that one too. Good job. Simple and catchy.
Elmo
Thank you Obama for your not so kind words.
James Williams
Your potty book is funny too. Especially the times that you couldn't make it to the bathroom. She just laughs and laughs at those pages.
Elmo
AS I said before, you won the award for clueless poster of the year. It is very hard to get this but you earned it bud my good friend buddy!
James Williams
la la la, la la la Elmo's Song...
Elmo
You must be getting one two many puffs on that weed friend.