Posted on 10/07/2016 5:20:51 AM PDT by Kaslin
(Editors’ note: This column is co-authored by NCPA Research Associate Luke Twombly)
The second presidential debate might mention that a Russian state newspaper predicted direct confrontation with the United States over Syria. Neither candidate will probably note that the escalation comes as solutions to protect America’s frighteningly vulnerable electric grid system languish on Capitol Hill. Each should be reminded that an increasingly popular target for U.S. adversaries sits largely unguarded. Thankfully, Texas can take the lead. As the only state with a self-contained grid, Texas finds itself in a remarkable position to protect the nation by protecting itself.
The primary concerns involve electromagnetic pulse (EMP) and cyberattack. An EMP is a tremendous burst of energy caused by naturally occurring solar storms or the high-altitude detonation of a nuclear device. Such an event would cause irreparable damage to the grid and other electronic-based equipment over a wide geographical area. The congressionally mandated EMP Commission concluded in 2008 that such an event would cause a year-long blackout, leading to cascading devastation and the possible deaths of an estimated 90 percent of all Americans from starvation, disease and anarchy.
Canada experienced a natural EMP in 1989, causing a day-long blackout across half the country. Another in 1921 damaged electronic railroad switches throughout North America. The most powerful on record, known as the Carrington Event, occurred in 1859, which impaired telegraph systems worldwide and destroyed the intercontinental telegraph cable at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean.
(Editors’ note: This column is co-authored by NCPA Research Associate Luke Twombly)
The second presidential debate might mention that a Russian state newspaper predicted direct confrontation with the United States over Syria. Neither candidate will probably note that the escalation comes as solutions to protect America’s frighteningly vulnerable electric grid system languish on Capitol Hill. Each should be reminded that an increasingly popular target for U.S. adversaries sits largely unguarded. Thankfully, Texas can take the lead. As the only state with a self-contained grid, Texas finds itself in a remarkable position to protect the nation by protecting itself.
The primary concerns involve electromagnetic pulse (EMP) and cyberattack. An EMP is a tremendous burst of energy caused by naturally occurring solar storms or the high-altitude detonation of a nuclear device. Such an event would cause irreparable damage to the grid and other electronic-based equipment over a wide geographical area. The congressionally mandated EMP Commission concluded in 2008 that such an event would cause a year-long blackout, leading to cascading devastation and the possible deaths of an estimated 90 percent of all Americans from starvation, disease and anarchy.
Canada experienced a natural EMP in 1989, causing a day-long blackout across half the country. Another in 1921 damaged electronic railroad switches throughout North America. The most powerful on record, known as the Carrington Event, occurred in 1859, which impaired telegraph systems worldwide and destroyed the intercontinental telegraph cable at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean.
NOTHING TO SEE, HERE..............
..........QUICK—lookit Trump’s hair.........and bad attitude.....ann I heer he’s NOT ‘conservative’ enough!
*** As the only state with a self-contained grid, Texas finds itself in a remarkable position to protect the nation by protecting itself. ***
ERCOT is strictly within Texas and does not cross state lines, thus avoiding some federal interstate regulations.
I don’t believe ERCOT has any connections to out of state grids. If it did, it would have to be through a High Voltage DC system because the phase angles of the electricity are different.
One of the other benefits of the Texas grid - they have spare capacity equal to the capacity of its nuclear power plants in the form of natural gas turbines.
LOTS of backup capacity except for the one time where the water intakes to the Comanche Peak plants froze over plus record gas consumption.
The side benefit of all these renewables that they are building is that they are building as much backup capacity from natural gas power production. (That’s why renewable implementation is so expensive - you essentially pay for twice as much power production capacity but don’t use it all)
This means the Texas grid not only has independence but a lot of slack if they shut off the irregular renewables and rely on the naturally produced nuclear and gas.
Alaska and Hawaii both have self contained grids.
Not a single transistor or circuit board worked after the 1921 event. /s
Two DC ties to the Eastern Grid, and one (some sources say 3) with Mexico.
I seem to recall rolling black outs on Texas a few years ago during a cold snap. The weather system idled many of the windmills which provide a significant portion of electric power in Texas and two fossil fuel plants were down for maintenance. The cold conditions increased demand for electricity and there was no backup capacity available. Texas power authorities were even begging Mexico for electricity.
They’ve had rolling blackouts during a few really bad summers and winters, but have been working to improve it over time, and they’ve got the data they need to judge the demand. The most they ever used at once was something like 70,000 MW back in August of last year.
I seem to recall vaguely a story that someone built an AC connection between the Eastern and Texas grids, and some other guys showed up with sledge hammers and smashed the insulators and otherwise ‘fixed’ the problem.
During the Superbowl at Jerryworld, there was a major ice storm coupled with electrical shortages. The utilities cut off power to homes, hospitals, and nursing homes to make sure the stadium had enough power to be comfortable. That’s probably the one you were thinking of.
Along about the same time, there were summer shortages with rolling blackouts. It was part of the squeeze to force the smart meter program on the public, and they ended the shortages when they got all of that approved and underway.
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