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I feel like I am the only person not shocked by the Texas power grid failures.
Posted on 2/17/21 at 9:54 am
Posted on 2/17/21 at 9:54 am
It seems like all of the discussion about this has been about the sources of energy used without much mention of the most obvious thing: major ice storms and extreme cold will usually cripple pretty much any power grid.
I thought most people knew that an ice storm and extreme cold is typically a more catastrophic event. Far worse than a snow storm with temperatures in the mid-20s to around freezing. This fact is being ignored and many people have turned this into an argument about fossil fuels vs. green energy rather than acknowledging the obvious impacts that a weather event like this was likely to have.
I thought most people knew that an ice storm and extreme cold is typically a more catastrophic event. Far worse than a snow storm with temperatures in the mid-20s to around freezing. This fact is being ignored and many people have turned this into an argument about fossil fuels vs. green energy rather than acknowledging the obvious impacts that a weather event like this was likely to have.
This post was edited on 2/17/21 at 10:18 am
7
Posted on 2/17/21 at 9:55 am to Roll Tide Ravens
quote:
Major ice accumulation is going to bring down power lines, transmission lines, trees onto power lines, etc.
Not the reason people are without power in Texas.
Posted on 2/17/21 at 9:56 am to Mingo Was His NameO
quote:
Not the reason people are without power in Texas.
I'm not saying it is the exclusive reason. I'm just saying that this aspect of it seems to be totally ignored, altogether.
Posted on 2/17/21 at 9:57 am to Roll Tide Ravens
quote:
I thought it was fairly common knowledge (and to many people here, I am sure it is) that an ice storm is far more catastrophic than a pure snow storm or blizzard.
100% true. Most of Louisiana's grid failures were because of downed trees and lines because of ice. Same with Mississippi.
Texas has a little bit deeper problem though. They had similar weather to those states, but have major problems keeping wind mills running, natural gas plants firing, etc. At least one nuke was shut down as a precaution (which IMO is a good example of how safe nukes are).
This post was edited on 2/17/21 at 9:59 am
Posted on 2/17/21 at 9:57 am to Roll Tide Ravens
You couldn't be more wrong about how you perceive the situation. It is not ice the brought down above ground lines. It is the fact that the source of a large percentage of energy generation is frozen and they have had to turn 4 million homes power off on a rotating basis to preserve the integrity of the grid.
Posted on 2/17/21 at 9:59 am to Roll Tide Ravens
Clearly you have not been following what is going on. We are down 30GW of generation due to the power plants inability to operate at these low temperatures. Also, they are having trouble even delivering the natural gas to the plants because of lack of power and freezing of wells
Posted on 2/17/21 at 10:00 am to Roll Tide Ravens
quote:
I'm not saying it is the exclusive reason. I'm just saying that this aspect of it seems to be totally ignored, altogether
Squirrels chewing through power lines is also being ignored. Rabble rabble rabble!
Posted on 2/17/21 at 10:04 am to SUB
quote:In high school sometime after lunch, we had a squirrel get into the power supply somehow and committed suicide so that we kids could get the rest of the day off. That was the coolest squirrel man!
Squirrels chewing through power lines is also being ignored. Rabble rabble rabble!
Posted on 2/17/21 at 10:04 am to crazyLSUstudent
quote:
We are down 30GW of generation due to the power plants inability to operate at these low temperatures. Also, they are having trouble even delivering the natural gas to the plants because of lack of power and freezing of wells
That's what I am trying to say, though. Any grid like this is going to have failures during an event like this due to things like ice accumulation and extremely low temperatures.
What I am trying to get at is that many people have just turned this into an argument about fossil fuels vs. green energy without talking about the fact that weather events of this magnitude are just inherently catastrophic for power grids.
This post was edited on 2/17/21 at 10:08 am
Posted on 2/17/21 at 10:07 am to Roll Tide Ravens
Go look at the forecasts. Most did not call for a major ice storm. It was 1/8" or less in most areas.
Posted on 2/17/21 at 10:08 am to Roll Tide Ravens
Agree more with you here. Main issue is the power generation infrastructure is not designed here for this kind of prolonged cold, or extreme cold. I'm in Fort Worth and pretty lucky to live next to a hospital. I have above ground power and have not once lost power.
A lot of family/friends who live with below ground power have been screwed by the shut offs. So I guess my biggest issue with your original post is that it is not ice on above ground power lines that is causing most of the prolonged outages. Sure there is that issue in places, but not the majority of outages.
A lot of family/friends who live with below ground power have been screwed by the shut offs. So I guess my biggest issue with your original post is that it is not ice on above ground power lines that is causing most of the prolonged outages. Sure there is that issue in places, but not the majority of outages.
Posted on 2/17/21 at 10:11 am to RebelliousGooner
How about improperly winterized power providers being a factor...seems to be where ERCOT is casting its wager of blame
Posted on 2/17/21 at 10:12 am to RebelliousGooner
Next month:
"We demand this never happen again, rabble rabble rabble!"
Month after that:
"Why are my energy prices/taxes/etc. going up? WTF?"
"We demand this never happen again, rabble rabble rabble!"
Month after that:
"Why are my energy prices/taxes/etc. going up? WTF?"
Posted on 2/17/21 at 10:14 am to RebelliousGooner
quote:
Agree more with you here. Main issue is the power generation infrastructure is not designed here for this kind of prolonged cold, or extreme cold. I'm in Fort Worth and pretty lucky to live next to a hospital. I have above ground power and have not once lost power.
I could have explained what I meant better in the OP better, so I apologize for that. My point was simply that a major ice and/or extreme cold weather event is usually terrible on a power grid, but many people have ignored that fact and have turned to an argument of fossil fuels vs. green energy.
This post was edited on 2/17/21 at 10:18 am
Posted on 2/17/21 at 10:18 am to Roll Tide Ravens
I hear you there. Bringing politics into it is dumb and all anyone wants to do with any sort of major event. Both sides can't help themselves
Posted on 2/17/21 at 10:21 am to Roll Tide Ravens
The power plants that froze could have taken measures to winterize in order to stay online. Maybe it was too late once they realized the magnitude of this event.
They rolled the dice and thought they did not need to do that and here we are.
Granted the winterization capability may take time to implement but they chose not to invest in it.
They rolled the dice and thought they did not need to do that and here we are.
Granted the winterization capability may take time to implement but they chose not to invest in it.
Posted on 2/17/21 at 10:45 am to Roll Tide Ravens
Texans got sold a bill of goods by Rick Perry and his deregulation fiasco. Electricity is more expensive than before and zilch is spent on infrastructure. Deregulation also gave us the never ending gift called ERCOT, with its virtually little to no accountability.
Posted on 2/17/21 at 11:20 am to Roll Tide Ravens
I just wish that everything that happens could stop turning into a political debate. So sick and tired of the politics in this country
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