WECC Daily Report of System Status for July 16, 2004 (chill your beer early)

WESTERN ELECTRICITY COORDINATING COUNCIL Daily Report ^ | July 16, 2004 | WECC

[Robert357]

Other Comments: APS has system concerns that may cause operating problems in the DSW area today.

The RDRC reported the following transmission facilities will be out of service today:
Note: RDRC daily facility outage report includes PACE facility outages that may impact Rocky Mountain Transmission System.
Westwing 500/230-kV T-4.............Westwing 500/230-kV T-1
Atlantic City-Wyopo 230-kV line.....Rapid City DC tie 200 MW
Glen Canyon PST.............................Basin-Worland 115-kV line
Norton-Hernandez 115-kV line

RM/DSW Transmission Facilities Impacting WECC USF Qualified Paths: None

[Robert357]

WARNING WILL ROBINSON....CHILL YOUR BEER EARLY!

You hardly ever see advance notice of problems.

They are expecting problems.

[Robert357]

Things could get interesting to watch today in the power business, especially in Arizona and Nevada. It they get too interesting, that could spill over into California.

[NormsRevenge]

BUT.. BUT.. The power crisis is over in California...

Isn't it? :-\

[Dog Gone]

It doesn't help that there is a large high pressure system over much of the western US. The wildfires also can affect transmission lines in their vicinity.

I hope there's enough spare capacity if trouble starts spreading.

[Robert357]

I suspect that is the source of the operational problems that APS is concerned about.

[BurbankKarl]

sylmar converters eh? that is just up the road....

[Dog Gone]

Cal ISO doesn't forsee any problems for California today. They forsee plenty of reserve power available.

Of course, their track record is hardly unblemished.

[snopercod]

I didn't post it, but the latest ENR has a gloomy article on the water/power situation in West. Long Dry Spell Taxes Utilities in the West

Severe drought conditions throughout the Southwest are forcing federal officials to cut hydroelectric power deliveries to state utilities. “Clearly, we are in a multiyear drought that has impacted our hydroelectric power generation,” says LaVerne Kyriss, spokeswoman for Western Area Power Administration, a Dept. of Energy agency that markets and delivers power in 15 states.

A five-year drought has drained Lake Powell in Arizona to 43% of capacity, reducing the hydraulic head entering Glen Canyon Dam’s turbines by 30%. Further up the Colorado River, Lake Mead is at 55% capacity, reducing peak hydroelectric generating capacity at Hoover Dam by 15%.

(Somebody should tell their editor that Lake Mead is downstream of Lake Powell.)

[Robert357]

Cal ISO doesn't forsee any problems for California today. They forsee plenty of reserve power available.

Below is a synopsis of information provided by the WECC Reliability Centers

Expected Non-simultaneous Peaks, Reserves, and Generation Limitations at time of Peak

Area,...........Peak Demand..Projected Reserves.....Req Reserves.....Gen. Outages/Limitations

Northwest SC....46,193........10.4%.....4,814.......3,234... 5,358

RM/DSW RC.......30,539......8.0%.....2,450.....1,798...... 1,452

Calif./MX RC....50,750........7.6%..... 3,869... 3,216.... 6,751

1 Required reserves calculated to be 7% of peak demand.

The difference between Cal ISO/Mexico 7.6% reserves and minimum of 7.0% reserves is a little over 600 MW. One can loose that in the blink of an eye. Also the reserves for the Cal ISO have historically not been where they are needed due to transmission bottlenecks. The "real" West Coast power reserves are up in the PNW (about 1,600 MW's). California and the Rockey Mountain Desert SW rely upon PNW imports for both power and reliability.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

(Somebody should tell their editor that Lake Mead is downstream of Lake Powell.

And this is a technical journal?

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Thanks for the facts beyond the statistics.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Meanwhile the growth in the US Southwest continues at a blistering rate:

And we have this:

LONGER STRAW New Las Vegas water intake pipe taps Lake Mead. (Photo courtesy of Southern Nevada Water Authority)

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

And this:

_________________________________________________________________

Much of the activity focuses on the long term. On July 9 the U.S. House of Representatives approved a $389-million bill including funding for California water projects. The legislation sponsored by Rep. Ken Calvert (R) would fund conveyance and storage projects, innovative sources like desalination, and improved water quality in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Bay Delta. A sticking point is a provision that would allow the Secretary of the Interior to approve storage projects if Congress doesn’t object within 120 days after receiving a feasibility study.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

i didn't know this:

_________________________________________________________________________

n another significant move, the San Diego County Water Authority approved a $1.8-billion master plan in late June. Highlights include a 50-million-gallon-per-day design-build-operate water treatment plant. Estimated to cost $75 million to $100 million, the project could be on line by 2008, says Tim Suydam, project manager. SDCWA’s environmental studies continue for a 50-mgd seawater desalination plant in Carlsbad, north of San Diego, that could be on line by 2010.

In Orange County, Calif., construction is under way on the innovative $487-million Groundwater Replenishment System, which will recharge groundwater with highly treated wastewater, providing supplies during droughts and recharging the saltwater intrusion barrier. Construction starts this year on its $300-million water treatment plant.

[snopercod]

How much electricity does it take to run those desalinization plants?

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Lots I think, but I am not an expert on the topic.

You have to have pumps to move the water around.

Put pressure on the water to work it through the membranes, if they use such.

Sounds like a bit of a research project.

[SierraWasp]

Well... All I know for sure is... I was the 999th FReeper to vote in Jim Robinson's sidebar poll!!! First time I ever voted in any kinda bar, side, or otherwise!!! (hic!)

[SierraWasp]

Wull... Hay!!! Folsom Reservoir is now below 54% of capacity and everybody's all pist off because they gotta haul their yaghts outta the wadder.

Wull Heck! I tole 'em over a quarter of a century not ta stop buildin Auburn Reservoir just up stream!!!

NOBODY LISTENS!!! (Summa them yaghts are listen, though)

[SierraWasp]

"And this is a technical journal?"

Try urinal...

[SierraWasp]

Now Mr. Modesty... You know darn well it takes a nuclear plant to make desalinized wadder!!! (And Hydrogen for Schwarzensnicker's "Hydorgen Highway") Phhhhht!!!