Tomorrow I hope to discover if any pipes are busted.
Posted on 02/18/2021 11:57:50 AM PST by Texas Fossil
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) manages the flow of electric power to more than 26 million Texas customers -- representing about 90 percent of the state’s electric load. As the independent system operator for the region, ERCOT schedules power on an electric grid that connects more than 46,500 miles of transmission lines and 680+ generation units. It also performs financial settlement for the competitive wholesale bulk-power market and administers retail switching for 8 million premises in competitive choice areas. ERCOT is a membership-based 501(c)(4) nonprofit corporation, governed by a board of directors and subject to oversight by the Public Utility Commission of Texas and the Texas Legislature. Its members include consumers, cooperatives, generators, power marketers, retail electric providers, investor-owned electric utilities, transmission and distribution providers and municipally owned electric utilities.
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Electric Reliability Council of Texas, Inc. (ERCOT) manages the flow of electric power to 26 million Texas customers – representing about 90 percent of the state’s electric load. As the independent system operator for the region, ERCOT schedules power on an electric grid that connects more than 46,500 miles of transmission lines and 680+ generation units.
ERCOT does not provide retail electric services to consumer end users nor does ERCOT own generation or transmission/distribution assets.
Please note that ERCOT is not the appropriate entity to investigate disruption of residential electric service. These matters should be directed to the reporting party’s retail electric provider or the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT). The PUCT can be reached by calling the Consumer Complaint Hotline at 1-888-782-8477, by submitting an online complaint form, or by emailing customer@puc.texas.gov.
(Excerpt) Read more at ercot.com ...
I have heard that there was a freeze up in a major natural gas line which limited the capacity to some power plants. Natural gas contains some moisture, Gas companies try to remove as much as possible, but it can collect in low portions of the lines. Some even have sumps which collect the moisture and remove it. As lines get colder, the condensation increases. I have no idea how they remove blockages.
I don't know anyone who works for ERCOT, but if this is their first test of the system, They failed with an F+.
Locally, the only AC power in town was the water supply system in my town (600 people). Not sure if our sewer plant had electricity.
There was not a single gas station operational in the entire county for 2 days during the worst of the cold blast.
The local propane retailer had no power to his business, but they operated in the extreme cold pumping propane to those who brought them propane tanks to fill. (neighbors helping neighbors)
I had zero electricity for over 2 days at my home, we did have natural gas. But the only way to use it was a single 3,000 btu bathroom heater. The 2nd day I managed to build a fire in the fireplace, but it did not help much. When we went to bed at night we bundled up and actually did fine until we had to get up in the morning. The only way I had to cook was outside on my bar-b-que grill and the side burner on it. Natural gas heat is worthless if you don't have the electric power to run the central heating unit.
At the farm I had simple propane heaters that worked.
At the county seat, the hospital (& some houses near), the water supply system and the courthouse area (including at least 1 bank) had power.
My wife works in a bank at the county seat, she was notified on Monday morning that they had power and they were to be there at 9:00AM. She managed to get dressed in the bathroom with heat and got to work.
My 95 year old father, who lives at home with 24 hour help for care givers central heat system was shut down from no electricity. They had a 4 burner gas range top that provided heat and a small gas bathroom heater. His house has great windows with storm windows and they managed to stay warm.
The problem with top down computer control systems over the entire state's electric system makes life or death decisions that they cannot possibly know the consequences for.
My wife's daughter live just outside of Abilene, she was without power until yesterday afternoon. More than 5 days and nights without electricity and without heat (she has an all electric system)
This is not about the Wind Turbines freezing up (as the press is saying), that might have contributed some. This is about dealing with a very freak storm and some bad breaks in gas supply system to power plants and decisions made by people in Austin calling all the shots.
Lesson learned? I already had planned to move back to our farm. And when the remodel there is finished this year, it will have heat and power options that don't rely on the Monster System.
Moral of story? Today's problems were often yesterday's solutions.
Computers do not solve problems. They make big decisions that affect huge numbers of people, but the stupid computers don't have the ability to understand what pushing this button and that button really do.
Exactly
Good stuff and a good plan. I prepare yearly for cold weather events and lack of power at my house.
I am curious and if you or anyone knows the answer.....
How much money have ERCOT executives received in bonuses for “green energy” and how much of their disposable cash was used for it?
Would be interested to know......
Note, there are contact information and much more details at the 2 links in my post.
I’ve not contacted any of them.
The The Electric Reliability Council of Texas does not accept comments from the public.
No clue. I had never heard of them until I tried to find someone to complain too, hee hee hee.
And I did not call them.
Tomorrow I hope to discover if any pipes are busted.
Or doesn’t, as the case may be.
Is there any information on “out of state” shipments of power?
I’m going to the farm this afternoon to determine how much damage I have there. I have 2 electric water heaters in areas where there is no heat. Both are in buildings, but when they freeze full of water, bad things happen. And to the lines going to them. There was some heat in the house, but the garage is the issue with one. Another building with no way to heat without electricity has the other water heater.
This should have been handled differently. The priorities were obviously the areas determined by “someone” to be critical or necessary. Bureaucrap.
Those not in those “essential” (Covid Lingo) were simply shut completely down.
I have no idea. But Texas was not the only state effected.
Looks like a cold vehicle to travel in. smile.
Lived in COLD WORLD once and the first thing you did in this scenario was turn the water off, open all the lowest point faucets to drain pipes on outer walls, up in attic/roof spaces, that could freeze.
If you have good snow cover pipes are pretty safe. Snow makes a good insulator
They aren’t connected to any other state, for the specific reason of avoiding any federal regulation.
I did that with my camper.
If any of you all have an RV, make sure to check the water lines after the weather heats up. Before you take a trip.
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You want the main house water OFF, before any thawing. Use a buddy system. One at the main valve turning it on just the smallest bit, while others listen for leaking, spraying sounds, looking for sheet rock going wet, wallpaper/paint bubbling/bulging. Best to heat the house up fully so all wall pipes are thawed before checking.
Manages?
My fireplace is the only dependable commodity in my house over the past week. That and what was a cord of wood.
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