Re: (ReacTor) Five SFF Books Featuring Frigid, Icy Worlds

On 7/20/2024 3:02 PM, rkshullat@rosettacondot.com wrote:

Scott Dorsey <kludge@panix.com> wrote:

  <rkshullat@rosettacondot.com> wrote:

Texas has had DC grid ties for years, they're just not high enough capacity to
make much difference statewide (aggregate of around 1 GW I believe). Peak
summer demand is somewhere around 85 GW.
It's doubtful that any realistic grid ties would have done more than reduce
the scope and duration of the rolling blackouts during winter storm Uri.
Demand was around double available capacity...a shortfall of at least 35 GW.

>
I don't think anyone is claiming that the additional capacity of larger
grid ties would have made much difference.  I think people are arguing that
the additional design margins required by federal law that would have been
demanded had there been AC grid ties would have made a difference.

 It's mainly winterizing everything (the gas supply chain in particular) that
would have made a difference. In theory they had the margins...they lost
close to half of the production they were counting on as gas supplies froze
up, turbines froze up, windmills froze up, solar panels got covered in ice and
snow, etc. They already knew it needed to be done...Uri was round 2...but
nobody wants to be the one that gets blamed for raising everyone's electric
bills. At the time it was estimated at something like $10/month added to the
average electric bill, with somewhat less added to the average gas bill.
Probably closer to $20 now.
      Robert

The natural gas production wells were winterized in the Feb 2021 winter storm.  My current business was a part of that 20 year project as I put the capability to model wellhead hydrate injection systems into my software at the urging of many customers.
The problem was that ERCOT in their infinite wisdom, shut off the electricity to the natural gas wellheads in the Permian Basin in Feb 2021 where 80% of the natural gas peaking systems are present.  Those wellhead hydrate injection system all use a 100 hp to 400 hp electric pump to circulate the ethylene glycol (most common) or the methanol through the wellhead.  All of the wellhead protection systems failed when the electricity was shut off.
Many of my customers have added emergency generators to their wellhead systems now.  None of them trust ERCOT anymore even though ERCOT has promised never to shut down Permian Basin again.
Lynn