Rice University did a pretty good post-mortem on the blackouts. Not really new ground or anything, but a good treatment. ERCOT Froze in February 2021. What Happened? Why did it Happen? Can it Happen Again? | Houston, Texas USA (bakerinstitute.org)
Well, this is wonderful. "the bureaucratic failure in identifying and addressing risks along fuel supply chains was a major failure. Most proposed remedies do not fundamentally address what occurred" So, it sounds like 3 recommendations not yet done are 1- better communication and coordination, perhaps a new agency 2- fuel supply chain infra should be critical load (can't have it power down) / can't believe this wasn't already the case 3- winterizing generation and infra There was a 4th one on market pricing but I don't understand the problems with it other than sounds like pricing is ineff somehow.
We've actually done some significant reform. But it is technical and hasn't been much explained in the press. Who knows if it'll be enough. 1. It has been a frustration for the power and utilities industries that the natural gas industry isn't better coordinated with their needs. With TX politics as it is, I don't think that will change. But with the reduction of coal, we are more vulnerable to the gas supply chain than ever. 2. This has been done. Curtailing gas pumps was probably the biggest unforced error of the disaster. But there was a process kicked off to mark that infra as critical load. 3. Both power plants and gas wells have been ordered to weatherize. We will see if it helps. Insulating stuff isn't a magic spell - insulated equipment can still fail. 4. The pricing section is about improving the economics for non-energy grid services so that resources have incentive to help with things like maintaining frequency - which batteries are good at but don't make good money in. As I understand it though, the PUC is drafting a process to do that too. The problem with these services is that they aren't really hedgeable, so it's hard to manage the financial risk they pose. Would like to solve that.
I am sure this is just a coincidence! The root cause is most likely The Gays grooming our children to be Open Minded Critical Thinking Atheists.
Just wondering if the Crypto miners have stepped in yet to increase load on TX failing power grid therefore saving it.
Texas grid on the ropes again. When are the bitcoin miners going to save it? My folks are old, they can't have no AC.
