head's up if you hadn't figured it out already - Rolling blackouts across the state today

[MrsBrady]

http://www.google.com/search?q=texas%20rolling%20blackouts&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbo=u&tbs=nws:1&source=og&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wn

my power in the Fort Worth area was out sometime over night - and we had a 15 minute shut down this morning.


A friend in the Houston area reports at least 3, so far this morning, 15 minute blackouts

[Lithos]

1. Had three

Each about 40 minutes each this morning. Sad thing was that when the power did come back, it was only on for 15 minutes or so.

L-

[anamandujano]

2. Down from 12pm to 12:30pm in San Antonio.

Also, sometime this morning about 9 for about 45 min.

[ScreamingMeemie]

3. Nothing here yet, but the neighborhood across the street has had

two. I'm waiting for our turn.

[sonias]

4. I think it has finally stablized in S. Austin

The power has been on for at least one hour.

Worst timing ever!

:grr:

[Lithos]

11. Yeah, funny thing was, despite what they said

If I understood some of the notes my coworkers said today, not all subdivisions served by the CoA utility dept. had a black out, while ours seemed especially hit hard in the number and frequency.

[hobbit709]

12. Starting at 5:30 Wed my power went out 11 times until 12:30 PM

Just about the time I got the clocks reset and the computer up-BAM.
There were many, many bad words.

[gkhouston]

5. According to the Houston Chronicle the blackouts are ending.

Color me skeptical. It's more attractive than blue, which would describe my toes. We've had 3 blackouts this morning.

http://fuelfix.com/blog/2011/02/02/blackouts-come-to-an-end-in-texas/

[onestepforward]

6. I had a 30 min. blackout last night

but a subdivision a few miles down the road had one for 9 hours.

[white cloud]

7. Dividends are down

Got to get the price up on NG and KW.
Leave Jerry world alone he is my buddy.
Hospitals will get by.

[sonias]

8. Some power outages are not the blackouts

Some are real, but they were not sending crews to repair them since the utilities were ordered to cut power by the grid (ERCOT). The last time those ass-holes did this was so they could raise rates. Color me skeptical too. They do it when the temperatures are at the most extreme - 100+ weather or freezing all over the state too. I know that our demand is up - no question about that. But it's how they manage the grid that has me skeptical.

At least that's what they are reporting in Austin. Crews will now go investigate any power that is still off right now. The 311 and 911 system was flooded with calls.

We're all in the cold pain bunker together.

Stay warm - may the toasty inner warmth be with you over the next couple of days!

:grouphug:

[onestepforward]

9. “strong possibility” of more tonight and tomorrow

http://fuelfix.com/blog/2011/02/02/blackouts-come-to-an-end-in-texas/

Wishing warmth for you and everyone else too!
:grouphug:

[thanks_imjustlurking]

10. It was an hour on and an hour off all day at work.

The local news said some coal-fired plants were down because their water pipes had frozen. Sheesh, I know how to protect my pipes and these big corporations don't?

[PDittie]

13. Some call bullshit

http://mcblogger.com/?p=5952

Houston media picks up the scent:

http://www.khou.com/news/local/I-Team-Why-didnt-we-get-warnings-of-rolling-blackouts-.html

[PDittie]

14. "the energy capital of the world can't keep the lights on"

More corporate media smelling the fish ...

This, of course, isn't supposed to happen. Temperature-related demand, extreme hot or cold spells, largely can be anticipated.

"You would think that the financial incentives would be to be up and ready," said David Cruthirds, publisher of the Cruthirds report, a newsletter that tracks electricity issues in the southern U.S. "It does raise a question of the planning."

It also raises the question of how much customers are willing to pay to ensure it doesn't happen again.

"We don't have enough flexibility on the system today to address the situation," said Brett Perlman, a power industry consultant and former member of the Public Utility Commission. "We in Texas have not invested substantially in demand response and other technologies."

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/steffy/7412080.html

Uh oh, it's going to cost more -- a LOT more -- to keep us from falling into an Iraq-ish, sometimes-the-power-is-on, sometimes-it-ain't situation. You don't suppose the invisible hand of the free market could be fingering us, do you?

[sonias]

15. ERCOT a total failure

And yes the whole point was to drive prices up or to get new power plants licensed. The last time they failed this big with rolling blackouts, the industry was trying to fast track 17 or 18 new coal powered plants.

This time it might be the nuclear industry.

Here is the bullshit line..."raises the question of how much customers are willing to pay to ensure it doesn't happen again".

This is a set up to force customers to believe that in order for this kind of failure not to happen, we have to be willing to pay much, much more. Just like you said it's "the free market finger" in our face. :mad: