Texas Power Grid Operator ERCOT Issues Conservation Alert, Asks Texans to Raise Thermostats, Unplug Appliances to Avoid Blackouts

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Danil54grl

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Seems like parts of Texas are becoming like they have out in California. . . Thank goodness we are not effected by this insanity. On a different grid. We have 100 plus days here in the south with humidity index getting over 110+. I know how to live without air conditioning. Is it comfortable? NO. But doable. We do not set our thermostat lower than 80, unless I am canning in the house then it goes down to 75. While working outside you have to take a break often, I try to during the heat of the day at least 1 15 minute an hour just to get rehydrated. Hunny goes longer and gets to the point that he get cramps in his legs.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/20...thermostats-unplug-appliances-avoid-blackouts
Here we go…

Texas power grid operator ERCOT (Electric Reliability Council of Texas) issued a conservation alert on Monday

ERCOT manages electric power to more than 26 million Texas customers and represents 90% of the state’s electric load, according to the company.

ERCOT told customers to raise thermostats to 78 degrees or higher, turn off lights, avoid using ovens, washing machines and dryers, and unplug appliances if possible.

“Tight grid conditions expected due to high number of forced generation outages” ERCOT said in a press release.

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) is asking Texans to reduce electric use as much as possible today through Friday, June 18. A significant number of forced generation outages combined with potential record electric use for the month of June has resulted in tight grid conditions.
Generator owners have reported approximately 11,000 MW of generation is on forced outage for repairs; of that, approximately 8,000 MW is thermal and the rest is intermittent resources. According to the summer Seasonal Assessment of Resource Adequacy, a typical range of thermal generation outages on hot summer days is around 3,600 MW. One MW typically powers around 200 homes on a summer day.
“We will be conducting a thorough analysis with generation owners to determine why so many units are out of service,” said ERCOT Vice President of Grid Planning and Operations Woody Rickerson. “This is unusual for this early in the summer season.”
According to generation owners, the number of outages should decrease throughout the week.
Wind output for today is expected to be 3,500 to 6,000 MW between 3 and 9 p.m. This is roughly 1,500 MW lower than what is typically available for peak conditions. Wind output is expected to increase as the week goes on.
Today’s peak load forecast may exceed 73,000 MW. The peak demand record for June is 69,123 MW set on June 27, 2018 between 4 and 5 p.m.
ERCOT suggested Texans take “simple actions” to hep reduce electric use:
  • Set your thermostat to 78 degrees or higher – every degree of cooling increases your energy use by six to eight percent.
  • Turn off lights and pool pumps and avoid using large appliances like ovens, washing machines and dryers.
  • If you don’t need something – we are asking you to turn it off and unplug it if possible.
ERCOT’s conservation alert comes after the power grid in Texas failed during an unusual cold snap in February.
 
With unlimited "immigration" and a State that encourages everyone to move there, this problem will only increase. The population is growing faster than they can meet demand with their silly little wind farms. Maybe they need to cover a few hundred thousand acres of good farm land with solar panels.
 
here we go again.first the freezing temps and outages in february.now this.and it ain't even July yet.and to top it of.we have a drought going on already.no power and drought adds up to a mess of problems.and that could include wildfires.
 
The winter Texas storm made me decide to stay in New Mexico. I was strongly considering a move to Texas. In New Mexico the fishing is not so good but the hunting is almost FREE. You have to consider the whole picture and the Texas power problems made the difference.
 
The winter Texas storm made me decide to stay in New Mexico. I was strongly considering a move to Texas. In New Mexico the fishing is not so good but the hunting is almost FREE. You have to consider the whole picture and the Texas power problems made the difference.

Southern Texas may have a subtropical climate but not a purely tropical one. Look at the geography of North America east of the Rockies. There is nothing stopping a storm in Edmonton from moving to Calgary to Montana, WY., and sliding down all the way to Brownsville, TX. It happens as we have all found out.

Every region seems to have its own very serious problems. Tornadoes would worry me in Texas more than cold weather would. But people there would say the same about earthquakes here.
 
This is kinda sad that they woke up sweating ay only 78 degrees. . .

HooRay for smart homes. Many utility companies are offering "great deals" on smart thermostats. Part of the deal is that the participant gets enrolled with a 3rd party which is allowed remote access. Gotta read that fine print on your smart stuff.

Texans shocked to find their smart thermostats are being raised remotely during energy shortage

HOUSTON — Some neighbors in the Houston area said their homes have been much warmer this week, even while they are running their air conditioners.

Many of them claim someone has been turning up the temperature on their thermostats since the energy shortage began.

RELATED: Texans asked to conserve power for 3rd straight day

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas asked Texans to turn up the temperatures on their thermostats this week.

When Deer Park resident Brandon English got home from work on Wednesday, his house was hot.

“(My wife) had it cranked it down at 2:30,” English said. "It takes a long time for this house to get cool when it gets that hot.”

English’s wife and their daughters decided to take their afternoon nap earlier in the day.

“They’d been asleep long enough that the house had already gotten to 78 degrees,” English said. “So they woke up sweating.”

Without anyone touching it, they said their thermostat was changed while they were sleeping, making their home unbearably hot.

“Was my daughter at the point of overheating?” English said. “She’s 3 months old. They dehydrate very quickly.”

His wife received an alert on her phone soon after that. The family said their thermostat had been changed remotely, raising the temperature of their home during a three-hour “energy saving event.”

The family’s smart thermostat was installed a few years ago as part of a new home security package. Many smart thermostats can be enrolled in a program called "Smart Savers Texas." It's operated by a company called EnergyHub.

The agreement states that in exchange for an entry into sweepstakes, electric customers allow them to control their thermostats during periods of high energy demand. EnergyHub’s list of its clients include TXU Energy, CenterPoint and ERCOT.

English said he unenrolled their thermostat as soon as he found out.

“I wouldn’t want anybody else controlling my things for me,” he said.

A scroll through a Houston Reddit board shows English is not alone. Several others said they found out during this week’s heatwave that their thermostats were being accessed, and turned up, remotely.

English said his smart thermostat is convenient but said it’s not worth it.

“If somebody else can manipulate this, I’m not for it,” he said.

'Woke up sweating': Some Texans shocked to find their smart thermostats were raised remotely
 
This is kinda sad that they woke up sweating ay only 78 degrees. . .

HooRay for smart homes. Many utility companies are offering "great deals" on smart thermostats. Part of the deal is that the participant gets enrolled with a 3rd party which is allowed remote access. Gotta read that fine print on your smart stuff.

Texans shocked to find their smart thermostats are being raised remotely during energy shortage

HOUSTON — Some neighbors in the Houston area said their homes have been much warmer this week, even while they are running their air conditioners.

Many of them claim someone has been turning up the temperature on their thermostats since the energy shortage began.

RELATED: Texans asked to conserve power for 3rd straight day

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas asked Texans to turn up the temperatures on their thermostats this week.

When Deer Park resident Brandon English got home from work on Wednesday, his house was hot.

“(My wife) had it cranked it down at 2:30,” English said. "It takes a long time for this house to get cool when it gets that hot.”

English’s wife and their daughters decided to take their afternoon nap earlier in the day.

“They’d been asleep long enough that the house had already gotten to 78 degrees,” English said. “So they woke up sweating.”

Without anyone touching it, they said their thermostat was changed while they were sleeping, making their home unbearably hot.

“Was my daughter at the point of overheating?” English said. “She’s 3 months old. They dehydrate very quickly.”

His wife received an alert on her phone soon after that. The family said their thermostat had been changed remotely, raising the temperature of their home during a three-hour “energy saving event.”

The family’s smart thermostat was installed a few years ago as part of a new home security package. Many smart thermostats can be enrolled in a program called "Smart Savers Texas." It's operated by a company called EnergyHub.

The agreement states that in exchange for an entry into sweepstakes, electric customers allow them to control their thermostats during periods of high energy demand. EnergyHub’s list of its clients include TXU Energy, CenterPoint and ERCOT.

English said he unenrolled their thermostat as soon as he found out.

“I wouldn’t want anybody else controlling my things for me,” he said.

A scroll through a Houston Reddit board shows English is not alone. Several others said they found out during this week’s heatwave that their thermostats were being accessed, and turned up, remotely.

English said his smart thermostat is convenient but said it’s not worth it.

“If somebody else can manipulate this, I’m not for it,” he said.

'Woke up sweating': Some Texans shocked to find their smart thermostats were raised remotely

Thats good for those idiots.
 
I dont have anything "smart" in my house, but I am also not on the ERCOT grid.
 
Texans shocked to find their smart thermostats are being raised remotely during energy shortage
While visiting in-laws in Texas north of Austin, I think I saw that happen. If I turned the thermostat down below a certain temperature, it would go back to a higher temperature setting after a while. When I asked the in-laws about it, they said "it just does that sometimes."
 
That is one of the "details" they do not mention in the Green New Deal.

In order to get to that net-zero thing, everyone will have to use less energy (unless you are rich and connected).
In the summer: 78 degrees.
In the winter: 62 degrees.

I recall a number of people crying when the DOE recommended turning the thermostat to 78 degrees a few years ago.
 

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