Texas may need to double power generation over next six years: ERCOT leader

NBC 5 DFW ^ | June 12, 2024 | Phil Prazan

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NBC 5 learned more about how leaders at the state's largest power grid think it will perform during upcoming hot Texas summers.

ERCOT and Public Utility Commission leaders updated lawmakers in Austin Wednesday morning after a striking new report issued by the grid operator.

They've long known that ERCOT, the state's largest power grid, is most vulnerable on hot late-summer nights as the sun goes down. That's when the big chunk of energy generated by solar power goes offline. It gets worse if the wind goes down as well, and wind generators don't run.

According to a report delivered to lawmakers this week, each August night at around 9 p.m., ERCOT predicts more than a 16 percent chance the grid will have to take emergency measures like asking people to use less energy. ERCOT estimators say there's a 12 percent chance the grid will see rolling blackouts in parts of the state.

[GenXPolymath]

I know that reading the actual article is somewhat of a no no here in this board. But in this case the article says 50% of the new increased demand is AI data centers and Bitcoin mining ops both of which are moving to Texas in droves specifically to get at our cheap corporate electricity rates. In Texas corporations get huge discounts on power. Their power rates are usually in the 4 to 5 cents per kWh range. Retail power is 12 to 17 cents per kWh. Simply pricing corporate power at retail rates would keep those power hungry companies out. Remember neither of those industries creates much local employment or local tax revenues so the burden of the increased electrical infrastructure is shouldered by people who will not benefit from having those industries in their back yards. The article again points this simple fact out.