It’s not possible to connect Texas directly to the national grid. While both grids are 60hz in name they are not 60hz in reality they are 60-59.5hz and not in the same phase relationship. The only way to synchronise them is to bring one grid down to a black start condition then start the grid on external phase signal bringing each generator online to the new phase relationship. To black start ERCOT would be a weeks long process. This nearly happened in feb 2021 when the gas grid went down with wellheads freezing plus electric gasline pumps not being on critical grid lines. Then gas plant after plant went off line. The grid dropped to 59.2hz and nearly went black. It would have taken weeks if not months to black start the grid. The only way to connect ERCPT to the Eastern or Western interconnects is via HVDC to HVDC back to back inverters.
Well stated. But that is the goal widely pushed by DC and Wall Street. And I believe they would happily shut down the Texas grid and do a black start. Probably taking advantage of a black out condition in Texas after a storm, or some such. They couldn’t care less how it affects people. One, they get the wonderful fun of managing what they call an emergency situation, too, they achieve their goal. Good details you provided there.
One thing for certain. Before centralization of electricity markets in Texas and solar and windmills. Power outages were unknown in Texas unless a storm physically took the lines down. In the 60s and 70s, there was no such thing as a power outage unless there was physical damage. As in, “it’s flooding down in Texas and the powerlines are down “.