Texas heat wave points to problems with congestion on power grid

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

HOUSTON (Reuters) - A weekend call for Texans to restrict air conditioning and appliance use after six power facilities tripped offline highlights a weakness in the state's grid: congestion on its transmission lines.

Reliability of the power grid has been an issue since last year's February freeze, which led to more than 200 deaths amid widespread blackouts and power-price spikes that pushed at least five power marketers into bankruptcy. The state's grid operator, Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), set mandatory reliability standards for utilities to prevent future outages.

But unlike natural gas shortages and frozen generation plants that led to outages, the weekend power advisory had nothing to do with fuel supply. Six plants providing 2,900 megawatts of power "tripped off" the state said, triggering the advisory.

The resulting wholesale prices in Houston of $4,000 per megawatt hour-plus and negative prices 150 miles (241 km) away showed that power was unable to reach demand elsewhere, energy experts said.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/texas-heat-wave-points-to-problems-with-congestion-on-power-grid/ar-AAXo3nY

[Skittles]

1. Texas loves to go it alone

but when problems arise, you really are alone, and on your own

[gay texan]

2. generators are on "hot" standby here

Going wind and solar as soon as i can

[gratuitous]

3. What a great place to site a cryptocurrency farm!

Will people get priority on Texas's electric grid when demand gets high, or will some electronic beeps and boops in a server farm gobble down its share of the available electricity before anyone else?

[smirkymonkey]

4. I doubt they will make it through the summer without a major crisis.

It's still May and it's starting to be a problem. The worst months are yet to come.

We (and Texas especially) are not a nation who thinks of the good of society first, we think of ourselves and those who are close to us, primarily.

People will not willingly suffer in order to make it easier on others. They will do what makes THEM comfortable and happy.

[Tree Lady]

5. My daughter is in Alamo Heights

A row of fixed up small houses across the street from the mansions in the rich area.

She is convinced the rich won't stand for it so she will be ok. I begged her to buy generator since she works at home.