Winter Storms, Summer Heat, and our 3rd World Electric System

They put an offshore wind farm off of Block Island, RI. A silver lining is that they create what amounts to an artificial reef—with good fishing. Like the oil platforms in the Gulf.
 
This doesn't help.

If it rained some more, the temperatures wouldn't be so extreme.

#%$&^@ Abbott!!! Causing a drought.

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https://www.kxan.com/weather/weather-blog/drought-2022-how-it-started-and-how-it-could-end/
 
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Tracking the Tropics: Saharan dust limiting tropical development | WFLA

Now, I don't want hurricanes or even tropical storms. I don't want flooding of any kind. But a little bit of tropical wave/disturbance bringing some rain wouldn't hurt the State as a whole. Sounds like African dust is interfering with the tropical rain-making...?

Dern Abbott, causing those Sahara dust storms...

Interesting tidbit I just learned---the Sahara desert is the home of the most American girls in the World... (see first photo below) :confused::confused::confused::confused::confused:

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Doesn't look so bad, for a 3rd World desert.
 
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The grid held up like a champ through a very hot Summer.

Hopefully there’s been some winterizing of facilities, etc, in case there’s ever another massive winter storm (at some point there probably will be).
 
The grid held up like a champ through a very hot Summer.

Hopefully there’s been some winterizing of facilities, etc, in case there’s ever another massive winter storm (at some point there probably will be).
Likely not. It was a one in 100 year storm.
 
I worked on an offshore oil rig in '68-69 and the fishing off the legs was great---the fish loved swarming around the rig legs. I was a galley hand and dumped a lot of scraps after meals. The fish could see the chum coming before it hit the water and it was like iron filings to a magnet.

when I fished off the bottom I caught some large ones and the sharks would snap them off within 15 feet of the surface.

When they build the big one off our coast you are going to see traffic jams of fishermen out there.
 
I worked on an offshore oil rig in '68-69 and the fishing off the legs was great---the fish loved swarming around the rig legs. I was a galley hand and dumped a lot of scraps after meals. The fish could see the chum coming before it hit the water and it was like iron filings to a magnet.

when I fished off the bottom I caught some large ones and the sharks would snap them off within 15 feet of the surface.

When they build the big one off our coast you are going to see traffic jams of fishermen out there.
There’s often some good snapper fishing (red and grey), Amberjack, and Ling sometimes, under those offshore rigs. Grouper if you’re lucky. Aside from oil spills, those offshore oil and gas rigs are actually good for the marine environment. They’re sure good for sport fishermen!
 
Likely not. It was a one in 100 year storm.

But just barely. The ones in 1989 and 2011 were comparable and brought us very near disaster; arguably we got lucky both times. And since we were hours away from a total collapse that could have taken nearly the whole state down for months, I'd say it's a problem worth fixing even if takes another 50+ years for it to happen again.

The grid held up like a champ through a very hot Summer.

It did ok, but I wouldn't go that far.
 
Stat
What would have been better than no rolling or complete black outs?
He is talking about the grid performing and not failing. Not about the prices
 
But just barely. The ones in 1989 and 2011 were comparable and brought us very near disaster; arguably we got lucky both times. And since we were hours away from a total collapse that could have taken nearly the whole state down for months, I'd say it's a problem worth fixing even if takes another 50+ years for it to happen again.

The FIX is to bring the coal-burners back online and let them do their thing...especially since we have a SCOTUS Opinion that would back such a decision.
 
227,

No one seems to be pointing fingers at the delivery service. It was either Ike or Rita that I lost service for 13 days. I talked to helpers sent from NC, Alabama, and a couple of other states. All said the same thing - Centerpoint has teh worst infrastructure they have ever seen. They would rather pay dividends than make updates. Crews from NC & Alabama said they needed "billions" in repairs.

Is that the Governor's fault?
 
227,

No one seems to be pointing fingers at the delivery service. It was either Ike or Rita that I lost service for 13 days. I talked to helpers sent from NC, Alabama, and a couple of other states. All said the same thing - Centerpoint has teh worst infrastructure they have ever seen. They would rather pay dividends than make updates. Crews from NC & Alabama said they needed "billions" in repairs.

Is that the Governor's fault?

In theory the state government can pass compliance laws that would force them to spend the money on upgrades. Thousands of miles of cast iron pipe has been removed over the past several years with regulatory muscle and incentive. I believe a motivated legislature could make it happen. But will they? I doubt it. Lobby $$$...

Of course, the public must accept that any money put into the upgrades/winterization will show up on their bills. But should it? Again, in theory the dividends are on the bill because where do they get the money to pay to the shareholders? Debt to pay a dividend? No... it's the weighted average cost of capital imbedded in the rates. That's the problem. How does a large company acquire capital? Debt and equity. Money requires a return and a dividend (in part along with interest and the assumed uplift of the stock price itself) is that rate of return. So winterization is new spend and hopefully it would be capitalizable (the legislature could classify these types of expenditures as regulatory assets with special depreciation recovery rates) so the rate payers would only pay the rate of return (plus the depreciation and tax effects of this incremental spend) on their bills.
 
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The FIX is to bring the coal-burners back online and let them do their thing...especially since we have a SCOTUS Opinion that would back such a decision.
I'm a big natural gas proponent, and nuclear (although the economics is usually only there for nuke plants when gas and coal are real high). Still, we've got a lot of lignite in E. Texas. Make them put really good scrubbers on new coal plants and fire them up.
 
Elephant in the room that nobody dares mention...

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Was the de-regulation of Texas electricity markets really a good thing, or was it a negative?

:idk:
 
Was the de-regulation of Texas electricity markets really a good thing, or was it a negative?

:idk:

The event you mention did not help or hurt all that much. The big problem is calling it "de-regulation". The de-regulation actually resulted in more regulations put on the energy system. It was a government lie like so many others, example The Inflation Reduction Act.
 
Uh oh….

Low single digits coming.

Are we about to have these electric grid problems again???

I hope not. The last go round was a near “perfect storm” of everything going wrong at the same time.
 
Uh oh….

Low single digits coming.

Are we about to have these electric grid problems again???

I hope not. The last go round was a near “perfect storm” of everything going wrong at the same time.
No. For one thing, it will be sunny and dry instead of snow and cloudy. Radiative heating will keep attics warm. Same for pipes, etc exposed to the elements.
 
Uh oh….

Low single digits coming.

Are we about to have these electric grid problems again???

I hope not. The last go round was a near “perfect storm” of everything going wrong at the same time.
Also, the highs are above freezing every day except Friday. It takes 48 hours of sub-freezing temps to freeze pipes.
 
Also, the highs are above freezing every day except Friday. It takes 48 hours of sub-freezing temps to freeze pipes.
About 40 hours subfeezing temps north of Houston. How will we survive!!!!!
 
Uh oh….

Low single digits coming.

Are we about to have these electric grid problems again???

I hope not. The last go round was a near “perfect storm” of everything going wrong at the same time.
High on Friday in Matagorda (location of Texas largest nuclear plant) is 36 F. Only subfreezing temps for 12 hours before reaching 36 F on Friday afternoon.
 

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