Hunker down, Boyz!

[mitchntx]

State-wide rolling blackouts last between 15-45 minutes.

Send a Thank You card to your congressman and God bless deregulation.

[AllZWay]

It is rediculous that we here in Paris are having outages because the metroplex can't plan their useage better. :evil:

My little co-op at my house is chugging right along just fine though.

[mitchntx]

----- Original Message -----
From: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@ERCOT.COM]
Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2011 06:54 AM
Subject: news release --Power Emergency -- Rotating outages in progress -- Conservation Critical

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Power Emergency – Conservation CRITICAL--Rotating Outages Have Begun

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) has instructed utilities to begin rotating outages to compensate for a generation shortage due to numerous plant trips that occurred because of the extreme weather.

Rotating outages are controlled, temporary interruptions of electric service, typically lasting 10-45 minutes per neighborhood. The locations and durations are determined by the local utilities. Critical need customers such as hospitals and nursing homes are generally not included.

It is not known at this time how long the need for rotating outages will last.

Consumers and businesses are urged to reduce their electricity use to the lowest level possible, including these steps:

* Limit electricity usage to only that consumption which is absolutely necessary. Turn off all unnecessary lights, appliances, and electronic equipment.
* Businesses should minimize the use of electric lighting and electricity-consuming equipment as much as possible.
* Large consumers of electricity should consider shutting down or reducing non-essential production processes.

BACKGROUND

A Power Emergency indicates that the regional electric grid operator, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), has instructed utilities to implement rotating outages to reduce load.

Rotating outages are controlled, temporary interruptions of electrical service initiated by each utility when supplies of reserve power are exhausted. Without this safety valve, generators would overload and begin shutting down to avoid damage, risking a domino effect of a region-wide outage.

Rotating outages primarily affect residential neighborhoods and small businesses and do not typically include critical-need customers such as hospitals and nursing homes.

The outages are limited to 10-45 minutes before being rotated to a different neighborhood. Some customers may experience longer outages if power surges cause equipment failure during the restoration process. Customers can minimize power surges by turning off appliances, lights and other equipment, except for one task light to determine when power has been restored.

ERCOT REGION

The ERCOT Region includes Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio, Austin, Corpus Christi, Abilene and the Rio Grande Valley. It does not include the El Paso area, the Texas Panhandle, Northeast Texas (Longview, Marshall and Texarkana), and Southeast Texas (Beaumont, Port Arthur, and the Woodlands).

This could get ugly ...

[BryanL]

Been out at my house since 7:30 so it was in the 50's inside when we came to the office. Working here but rolling blackouts to keep the little co-ops in Paris from going out.

[Fbody383]

It is rediculous that we here in Paris are having outages because the metroplex can't plan their useage better. :evil: Couple things happening at once:

1) a lot of Texas generation is not designed for sustained temps below freezing, i.e. not enclosed, no heat/steam trace on control lines, etc.
2) gas pipelines struggling with wellhead freeze offs from AZ east to west Texas which is affecting pipeline linepack and operating pressure.

Rolling blackouts suck but they are much better than the whole thing going down. Or we can greatly overbuild the system more and just pass on all the extra costs to the consumers.

[jeffburch]

Been out here since 6a.
We're all but outdoors ya know.
Reminds me of old George Thorogood song or the 1st 45min of movie Kingpin.
I bet all it is is someone sent Homer out for donuts and he got his car stuck in the ice.
Texas. It's like a 3rd world country.

jb

[AllZWay]

It is rediculous that we here in Paris are having outages because the metroplex can't plan their useage better. :evil: Couple things happening at once:

1) a lot of Texas generation is not designed for sustained temps below freezing, i.e. not enclosed, no heat/steam trace on control lines, etc.
2) gas pipelines struggling with wellhead freeze offs from AZ east to west Texas which is affecting pipeline linepack and operating pressure.

Rolling blackouts suck but they are much better than the whole thing going down. Or we can greatly overbuild the system more and just pass on all the extra costs to the consumers.

That sounds like a political answer from someone that sell electricity. :P

[Fbody383]

That sounds like a political answer from someone that sell electricity. :P But all my stuff is out west... it's you Texas people running up my nat gas prices 'cause it's a little cold.

[mitchntx]

As of 2:25pm this afternoon grid conditions were beginning to improve although we expect the extreme cold to continue through tonight and Thursday.

We may've seen the worst.

[mitchntx]

As of 0500, ERCOT is back in the black ... by about 1000 mW. :shock:

At 0500, demand is typically at it's lowest. and one unit goes off-line and we're screwed again.

[ShadowBolt]

I just received this.

ERCOT update – 6:35 am

Grid condition improving but conservation still urged between 6-9 am
Winter record expected this morning; consumers asked to reduce energy consumption 6-9 am



6:35 am, February 3, 2011 -- Morning peak demand is projected to be more than 56,800 MW. Although immediate concerns for the possibility of rotating outages this morning are reduced, ERCOT will be monitoring the grid closely because additional unexpected major losses of generation could force operators to begin emergency procedures to avoid an uncontrolled statewide blackout.



The grid continues to have about 3,000 MW of generation out of service due to the effects of the extreme cold.



Rotating outages are controlled, temporary interruptions of electrical service initiated by each utility when ERCOT’s reserve power supplies are exhausted. Utilities/ transmission providers determine the location/scheduling of the rotating outages.



Rotating outages are the last step in a progressive series of emergency procedures that ERCOT follows according to market rules. We only call for controlled rotating outages as a final fail-safe measure to avoid an uncontrolled blackout across the state.

[ShadowBolt]

Here is why James has power.

The ERCOT Region includes Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio, Austin, Corpus Christi, Abilene and the Rio Grande Valley. It does not include the El Paso area, the Texas Panhandle, Northeast Texas (Longview, Marshall and Texarkana), and Southeast Texas (Beaumont, Port Arthur, and the Woodlands). Region map: http://www.ercot.com/news/mediakit/maps/index.html


James, Can I run a cord to your house?

JJ

[AllZWay]

Here is why James has power.

The ERCOT Region includes Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio, Austin, Corpus Christi, Abilene and the Rio Grande Valley. It does not include the El Paso area, the Texas Panhandle, Northeast Texas (Longview, Marshall and Texarkana), and Southeast Texas (Beaumont, Port Arthur, and the Woodlands). Region map: http://www.ercot.com/news/mediakit/maps/index.html


James, Can I run a cord to your house?

JJ

In twon we actually had several 5-15 minute blackouts yesterday for those on TXU, but I have Lamar county Co-op at my house and we never lost power.

[Crumpacker]

Grid condition improving but conservation still urged between 6-9 am


6-9am is my welding time! And I can't properly weld w/o the margarita machine and keg-arator running in the background. What am I supposed to do!

[rleng1]

That sounds like a political answer from someone that sell electricity. :P[/quote]

Let me know if you need to buy some gas or oil.