Posted on 08/04/2011 4:27:46 PM PDT by dragnet2
HOUSTON, Aug 4 (Reuters) - Extreme heat and soaring power demand may force the Texas power grid operator to impose rolling outages on Thursday to prevent a wider blackout as residents struggle with a record-breaking heatwave.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, ERCOT, warned there was a high risk of rolling outages as the state's power reserves were nearly wiped
The state -- broiling under a relentless streak of 100-plus Fahrenheit temperatures and drought...straining power plants.
Earlier, ERCOT moved to curtail power to some industrial customers Thursday afternoon as a way to boost surplus power to keep residential air conditioners
Rolling, or rotating, outages are temporary controlled outages where power delivery companies cut to small areas for periods of 45 minutes or so.
Real-time power prices again jumped to the maximum cap of $3,000 per megawatt-hour while power for Friday delivery rose to nearly $600 per MWh, the highest in more than a decade.
Texas also saw record power monthly power peaks in May, June and July.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
Studies done in 97 indicated it would cost 2 billion to interconnect ERCOT with the Eastern Grid.
ERCOT customers are paying 5 billion building CREZ lines to bring T Bone Pickens proposed wind generation to the load areas.
T Bone is now not going to build all his promised wind generators. But the lines are still being built.
When grid operations meet political motives, no one wins.
“I doubt well see rolling black outs this summer.”
I love events. It brings out all the experts.
Nothing brings out the experts like a electric grid event.
I hope you are right.
Trust me, no one is trying to keep the lights on more than the ERCOT Operators.
T Bone, ask OSU about his promise.
ENRON Jr.
I’m sure the folks at ERCOT are doing all they can.
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