Texas grid operator calls for power conservation as temperatures, prices soar

Ya- in essence…Don’t rely on the Texas electrical grid.

But what if people didn’t have to boil snow for weeks to have drinking water instead.

Bring the crypto miners to Texas. What could go wrong in a state where the electric is mega-wobbly.

"The Texas grid operator expects crypto miners to increase electricity demand by up to 6 gigawatts by mid-2023, more than enough to power every home in Houston."

Looks like its time to get all boot strappy… :cowboy_hat_face:

According to the seasonal assessment ERCOT released this week, peak demand over the summer will come in at a record 77,317 megawatts — well above the current record peak of 74,820 megawatts set Aug. 12, 2019.

But the agency said 91,392 megawatts of capacity should be available, giving it an ample reserve cushion under normal conditions

Not all of that is physically available right now, but some of that is just waiting for the right price. Why not open up the state wallet and get them ready, at least in reserve, to cover spring maintenance?

Is he doing anything to be proactive?

That’s easy, just recommission the coal fired plants that were taken off line. They work in the heat, and the cold, at night, or in the day, on still days, or when windy. And the coal to operate them was mined here in Texas. There is your easy answer.

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Where does it say more is available but holding it back for the rigger price. Looks like ERCOT says power is there. Should he not believe them?

My air conditioner has been running non stop all weekend. I plan on conserving later in the week when temperatures drop into the 60s.

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How would government “fix” this lack of capacity?

Thermometers don’t read calendars.

There are plants aren’t profitable to run at current energy prices. Make it worth their while to help ERCOT cover maintenance. Spend a little money now to avoid an expensive emergency during the summer.

Do you mean green energy plants? Hard for me to me to believe their are fossil energy plants more expensive then anything else they have there. Updating them Might be a good long term plan but would do nothing for this year. But once again how would Abbott do it? Wouldn’t that be a legislative thing? Also I can hear the libs now complaining about giving a company money.

Pick up a phone, call a meeting, make a plan, do some work moving an agenda. He’s the governor. He’s not as helpless as he usually pretends to be.

Just to be clear you want him to dictate terms to private companies? And how do you know he is not?

In before the Hottest May on Record!!!1!

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Mothballed plants?

Pay them to be ready to run now so maintenance can get done.

That’s not good enough for any kind of employee or a civil servant.

Why do you think it’s a question of money?

Surveys show Tesla shoppers are only slightly more likely to be Democrats than Republicans.

Surveys by research firm Morning Consult show that in January about 22% of Democrats were considering buying a Tesla, while 17% of Republicans were looking to purchase one. And that gap has been closing — Republican consideration of buying a Tesla has risen about 3 percentage points just since December’s survey. And Republicans are slightly more likely to trust the Tesla brand, 27% compared to 25% among Democrats.

You made a baseless assumption.

Yeah I think the desire for electric cars and trucks goes beyond political identification.

Give it another ten years and even the most hardcore traditional truck buyers will be cross shopping electric and gasoline trucks, making the best decision based on their needs.

Plus electric motors make obscene amounts of torque. Easy burnouts.