Power Plant Operators Admit Entire Energy Sector Failed Texas

**The Rover** · 02.26.21, 06:22 AM

The FUBAR:

Because the transmission owners had to cut-off power for more customers at once than they ever had to before, some power plant operators and gas companies lost power themselves.
Morgan said the problem was after a 2011 storm wreaked havoc to a less extent, the industry and state agencies never updated their critical infrastructure lists. “You’re turning off my power plant, calling up the TDU’s and saying why are you turning off our power plant. You weren’t on our critical infrastructure or you’re at the bottom of our list.”

He and other CEOs said natural gas companies experienced problems beginning at the wellheads which froze, and transporting the gas to power plants.

Earlier in the week, the President of the Texas Oil and Gas Association, Todd Staples, told CBS 11 that many producers in the field lost production because of power outages and hazardous travel conditions made it impossible to move equipment and crews.

Morgan said, “The big story here in my opinion was the failure of the gas system to perform.
He said between 60% and 70% of the power in Texas is natural gas generation.
“We do not have an integrated and seamless gas and power system, and if we don’t have a seamless gas and electrical power system, what happened last week, will happen again.”

Staples said members of their trade group were conducting a top-to-bottom review of what happened.
Despite the challenges, Staples said natural gas provided about 66% of the power mix last week, which he said was higher than the 45% provided during a normal year.

“We think that natural gas did step up, did carry the load in a very big way.”
The CEOs said they winterized their plants.

Morgan of Vistra Corporation said they spent an extra $10 million on weatherizing their facilities once they realized how severe the winter storm would be.

Gutierrez of NRG Energy said they prepared their plants as well, but that in some cases, the unprecedented weather experienced statewide, proved too much. “We had icing on four inches of dry air that should never have icing.”

Governor Abbott has said he wants state lawmakers to mandate winterizing the power system.
After the 2011 storm, changes were recommended but not required in Texas.

https://dfw.cbslocal.com/2021/02/25/...-sector-texas/

https://capitol.texas.gov/Home.aspx

**edwardv** · 02.26.21, 06:41 AM

Should be some interesting legal cases on this.

**jimmy812** · 02.26.21, 06:46 AM

Originally Posted by edwardv

Should be some interesting legal cases on this.

Texas woman files $1BILLION lawsuit against power firm after she was hit with an 'exorbitant' $9,000 electricity bill during devastating winter storm

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...city-bill.html

**edwardv** · 02.26.21, 07:01 AM

Originally Posted by jimmy812

Texas woman files $1BILLION lawsuit against power firm after she was hit with an 'exorbitant' $9,000 electricity bill during devastating winter storm

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...city-bill.html

There you go. If I was head of security for these energy firms I would tighten up and hire more gaurds with hardware. This is Texas not NYC. Wasn't Enron a Texas company?

**wombattt** · 02.26.21, 07:44 AM

Originally Posted by edwardv

There you go. If I was head of security for these energy firms I would tighten up and hire more gaurds with hardware. This is Texas not NYC. Wasn't Enron a Texas company?

Yep Enron was a Texas company, based out of Houston. I remember their logo being everywhere at the University. I was still in school when it all came crashing down. They were offering graduates 10, 20, 30, & 40,000 dollar sign on bonuses....everything came to a screeching halt. Half of their senior execs came from
UT along with true whistle blower. The Auditing professor I had taught them all.

**The Rover** · 03.30.21, 02:40 PM

**Dave's Dreidel** · 03.30.21, 04:34 PM

That's just poor planning.

Disaster planning and preparedness should be one of the top considerations of state government.

**The Rover** · 03.31.21, 06:41 PM

NOVA - PBS Report

**Number 47** · 03.31.21, 07:46 PM

4 big outages in NE OH since the pandemic started. Lived here all my life and that shit never happened in one year alone. Fuck your wind power!

**Number 47** · 03.31.21, 07:50 PM

Edit: Fuck you wind power whore bastards that can't even understand wind.

**VH1986** · 03.31.21, 08:13 PM

Originally Posted by Number 47

Edit: Fuck you wind power whore bastards that can't even understand wind.

I love that your next post was an Easter wish for peace.

**MF5150** · 03.31.21, 08:16 PM

Originally Posted by Dave's Dreidel

That's just poor planning.

Disaster planning and preparedness should be one of the top considerations of state government.

Especially when the disaster is snow.

Probably want to know that your grid can withstand a snowfall, even if it's out of the realm of possibilities of it happening.

**lovemachine97(Version 2)** · 03.31.21, 08:17 PM

Because power to the grid must be stable, as too much or too little will cause brownouts, every renewable energy power plant (like wind or solar) has a fossil fuel plant on standby or running on low power ready to ramp up and take the renewable’s place if something happens, like the wind stops or a cloud covers the sun.

If outages are occurring, likely something else beyond just lack of wind power is happening.

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