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May 98 min read

Power to the People. Energy, Electricity, Gas Index

Updated: 2 days ago


Summary: Willow Park Civics blogs, webpages, and other articles about the energy that powers our tactical lives in Willow Park. Find problems, causes, proposed solutions, and results. 

Latest Update: updated 21 December 2024; posted 30 August 2024







 

Power to the People. Energy, Electricity, Gas Index


• Article: Data Centers Are Eating the Grid Alive. OilPrice .com, posted 20 December 2024


• Article: Oncor System Resiliency Plan Approved by PUCT, ONCOR Newsroom, 18 November 2024


The first small modular reactor in Texas is set to begin construction next year.

A new report from a Public Utility Commission (PUC) workgroup made seven recommendations to the state to facilitate the growth of its nuclear power industry, including low-interest loans for capital costs.

The Texas Advanced Nuclear Reactor Working Group’s 78-page report on the stagnation of nuclear power in the state makes multiple recommendations to kickstart expansion within the industry:

  • Establish a low-interest loan program to fund parts of the capital costs of building nuclear-powered generation to be connected to the grid by 2035, modeled after the Texas Energy Fund.

  • Create a non-regulatory entity to facilitate a coordinated vision of development in the industry.

  • Develop a central clearinghouse and point of contact for nuclear industry permitting.

  • Found a Texas Advanced Manufacturing Institute.

  • Communicate and market the advantages of nuclear power in the state.

  • Work with higher education institutions to funnel students toward the industry.

  • Create a grant-based system aimed at lessening the cost burden associated with building up a corresponding supply chain.

Gov. Greg Abbott commissioned the workgroup in August 2023.


The new rule stems from a directive by the Texas Legislature.

The State of Texas and its main power grid are coping with a drastic increase in electricity demand brought in by computer-heavy operations such as virtual currency miners. Texas’ utility regulator will now require these facilities to register with the state.

An April report from the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) raised the bar for expected 2030 demand by 40,000 megawatts (MW); that’s substantially higher than the projection just one year ago.

Much of that growth is attributable to the standard factors of population and economic expansion, but a chunk of it stems specifically from data centers and virtual currency mining operations. Both of these facilities use massive amounts of electricity to power their computing. Despite that, they’re a welcome addition to grid regulators due to their flexible nature, their ability to quickly reduce operations or turn them off entirely should the electricity supply-demand margin shrink.


Efforts to Federalize Texas’ Grid Continue: The federal government has authorized funds for a plan to hook into Texas’ grid.





Texas plans to double a state fund aimed at expanding the power grid as demand for electricity is expected to nearly double over the next six years


The number of Texans covered by the state's electric power grid is 26 million. No wonder "a new poll from the University of Texas at Austin’s Texas Politics Project found a majority of Texans believe an electrical grid failure could occur this summer." Still ERCOT insists our Texas grid is good to go for summer.


 ERCOT assessment forecasts an 18% risk of emergency conditions and 14.6% risk of rolling blackouts and controlled outages."But other experts believe ERCOT tends to 'undershoot on their demand forecasts for the peaks'. Details in linked blog.


Soaring temperatures and severe storms put extreme stress on the Texas electrical grid, which has led to notorious failures, including during the severe winter storm in February 2021. With funding from a federal grant, a group of University of Texas at Arlington engineering faculty members hopes to minimize such failures by working on new technology that will help ensure grid reliability, especially during peak demand.


• Article: Texans introduce bill in Congress to strike down Biden’s natural gas tax, The Center Square, 30 May 2024, Excerpts 

Two Texas Republicans have introduced companion legislation in Congress to strike down a natural gas tax proposed by the Biden administration.

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz introduced a bill to prevent a newly proposed tax and eliminate a new methane emissions fee created in the Inflation Reduction Act. U.S. Rep. August Pfluger introduced the bill in the U.S. House of Representatives, which already passed. Both bills have multiple cosponsors.

Both Cruz and Pfluger represent the oil and gas capital of the U.S. Cruz, from Houston, and Pfluger, from west Texas, have been pushing back against Biden administration policies attempting to stifle domestic production as Texas continues to lead the U.S. in oil and natural gas production.

Cruz’s bill repeals Section 136 of the Clean Air Act, which relates to a methane emissions and waste reduction incentive program for petroleum and natural gas systems.

While the Biden administration has blamed the U.S. oil and natural gas industry for skyrocketing energy costs, even blaming liquified natural gas (LNG) exports for them, U.S. Energy Information Agency data disproves the claim, The Center Square reported. A report by the Texas Oil & Gas Association pointing to EIA data shows that as LNG exports reached record highs, domestic natural gas prices decreased.



The new report estimates 40,000 MW more load online by 2030 than last year's projection. The load growth is driven by population and economic growth, particularly in the form of crypto mining and data centers. The ERCOT grid is in the midst of a struggle between rising electricity demand and the stagnation of its dispatchable generation.




• Article: Texas Power Grid Would Join Federal Network Under New Bill., Newsweek, 15 February, 2024



2023

Publicly, ERCOT is "expecting" to be able to meet electricity needs this Winter. However, as ERCOT hopes for the best, we should plan for the worst. A failed Fall attempt for more reliable energy online, and predictions for a colder January and February should send Willow Park residents into preparation mode.


• Electricity Warning / 16 July to 18 July 2023 / ERCOT TXANS Alert < Willow Park Civics Blog, 16 July 2023

ERCOT TXANS has issued an official Weather Watch from Sunday, 16 July to Tuesday, 18 July 2023. • No action is required, • but be sure to monitor grid conditions and TXAN alerts. • Keep in mind a TXAN Weather Watch can quickly upgrade to "Voluntary Conservation Notice" and then "Energy Emergency Alert." In addition, TXANS Electricity Warnings are often extended, based on weather predictions.


• Electricity, Energy, ERCOT < Willow Park Civics Blog, 06 July 2023

Although our elected Texas representatives and their Texas governmental ERCOT and PUC have been politicking since the deadly failure of the Texas electrical system in February 2021, Texans still have electrical supply that barely meets demand -- and the summer heat has just started. Find the latest research, news, and warning sources in this Index of blogs and articles on about Electricity, Energy, and ERCOT. And start planning for a long hot summer.


• Electricity Warning #2 in two weeks, 25 June to 30 June 2023, < Willow Park Civics Blog, 24 June 2023

Here we go again. ERCOT has declared its second Electricity Weather Warning from Sunday, 25 June to Friday, 30 June 2023. Their second warning in two weeks. Seems our Texas elected officials and their governing agencies have not figured out two important postulates of Texas: The business and residential populations of Texas are growing and it get's hot in Texas.


No sooner had we posted the ERCOT Weather Watch, than ERCOT upgraded the alert to Voluntary Conservation Notice, which is second of three electrical grid emergency levels. This Voluntary Conservation Notice requires consumers to conserve electrical energy. / Summer has just started, and ERCOT has issued it first Electric Weather Watch! ERCOT has issued its first-ever Weather Watch to alert Texans about the high electrical demand expected when temperatures climb toward triple digits. The Weather Watch will be in effect from 15 June to 21 June. Time to start building good summer electricity habits.


• Electricity and ERCOT, Summer Overload < Willow Park Civics Blog, 12 May 2023

"Blackouts are likely this summer in the United States." In Texas, “in this new reality, our risk goes up as the sun goes down. Data shows for the first time that peak demand this summer will exceed the amount we can generate from on-demand dispatchable power." "The credits would increase electricity customer bills an estimated 2% and direct the funds to companies that operate on-demand power sources, with a goal of incentivizing them to build more power plants or keep existing plants in service longer." / A collection of current information and articles concerning electricity and Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT)


During last month's storm, Gov. Abbott bragged the ERCOT power grid performed flawlessly. However, a less political reality proved a bit less enthusiastic. Weather conditions were not as bad for as long as forecast. And ERCOT twice asked customers to conserve energy or else.


• This week's weather and the electrical grid < Willow Park Civics Blog, 31 January 2023

This current weather is reminding Willow Park neighbors of the 13 - 17 February 2021 Storm URI. Discover resources for weather alerts and updates and read articles about the current state of our electrical grid. For the last year ERCOT, who manages the independent Texas electrical grid that covers 90% of Texas, has assured Texas grid users that ERCOT has made the changes necessary to avoid a disaster like the February 2021 grid failure that killed hundreds and left millions without electricity and water for days. We'll see...


2022


• Texas Power Grid Still Vulnerable < Willow Park Civics Blog, 09 November 2022

A new study shows that Texas may be unprepared for another winter storm.With winter on the horizon, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) released a report calling into question the ability of Texas’ power grid to withstand extreme weather conditions... Although the assessment found that Texas’ grid is prepared for average winter temperatures, FERC said the state’s power supply is still vulnerable to extreme winter weather conditions."


• Texas Power Grid Passes Summer Tests < Willow Park Civics Blog, 05 October 2022

Despite setting electricity demand records nearly a dozen times since April, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) power grid lived up to its name. The state's largest power grid provided more than enough power to Texans during the summer heat.


• TX Power Grid Reports Forecast Fall Expectations < Willow Park Civics Blog, 08 September 2022

Texas officials expect a much lighter load for the state’s largest power grid in the coming months, and are planning to use the fall for generator maintenance postponed during the summer heatwave.




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