{"id":2149255,"date":"2024-01-15T10:44:04","date_gmt":"2024-01-15T15:44:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ercot-admits-wind-solar-power-alone-cant-keep-texans-warm-during-record-breaking-arctic-blast\/"},"modified":"2024-01-15T10:47:06","modified_gmt":"2024-01-15T15:47:06","slug":"ercot-admits-wind-solar-power-alone-cant-keep-texans-warm-during-record-breaking-arctic-blast","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ercot-admits-wind-solar-power-alone-cant-keep-texans-warm-during-record-breaking-arctic-blast\/","title":{"rendered":"ERCOT acknowledges wind and solar power insufficient for Texans in extreme cold"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fercot-admits-wind-solar-power-alone-cant-keep-texans-warm-during-record-breaking-arctic-blast%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2149255&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><blockquote>\n<h2>ERCOT Urges \u200cTexans to Conserve Power Amid Record-Breaking Arctic Blast<\/h2>\n<h3>Green Energy Sources Struggle to Meet\u2062 Demand<\/h3>\n<p>The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) issued a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ercot.com\/news\/release\/2024-01-14-ercot-expects-tight?utm_source=twitter-x&#038;utm_medium=post&#038;utm_campaign=conservation-appeal&#038;utm_term=txans&#038;utm_content=jan-14\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">conservation appeal<\/a> \u200don Sunday night demanding\u2063 Texans, who are enduring a record-breaking arctic blast \u200cthis week, reduce their power usage and turn down their thermostats\u200c on Monday morning. The goal \u200bof the appeal, ERCOT claimed, is \u2062to lessen the strain on the state\u2019s \u200c\u201ctight\u201d grid and caution Texans \u200dthat their electricity reserves are dwindling.<\/p>\n<p>According to the \u200dlatest <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/ERCOT_ISO\/status\/1746664677692629296?s=20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ERCOT\u200c press release<\/a>, the grid\u2019s green energy sources \u200dare to blame for the stress.\u200b The <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2021\/02\/18\/texass-blackouts-are-the-result-of-unreliable-green-energy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">subsidized wind and solar power<\/a> ERCOT relies\u2062 on to meet Texans\u2019 power needs can hardly keep up with customers\u2019 electricity\u2062 demands in the <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2021\/06\/15\/texas-energy-crisis-rages-on-as-ercot-begs-users-reduce-to-electricity-during-near-record-temps\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">100-plus \u200ddegrees Fahrenheit<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2022\/07\/18\/as-heat-waves-strain-the-power-grid-texas-must-fix-its-subsidy-problem\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">heat waves<\/a>, much less\u200d the\u200b winter.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201cSolar generation isn\u2019t\u2062 available in the early morning hours, which is a peak demand time during winter, and\u200c slowly ramps up as the sun rises,\u201d ERCOT admitted. \u201cWind generation is forecasted to \u200dbe\u200c lower than \u200cseasonally\u2064 expected in the early\u200c morning hours.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Monday\u2019s statewide electricity usage forecast <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fox4news.com\/news\/ercot-conservation-appeal-monday-texas\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">of 83,000 megawatts<\/a> far surpasses the\u200c December 2022 \u201call-time winter peak demand record of 74,525 MW\u201d and sits dangerously near ERCOT\u2019s \u201call-time peak electricity demand\u201d of 85,508 MW in August 2023.<\/p>\n<p>The electricity operator emphasized that the call to conserve energy \u201cdoes \u2062not indicate ERCOT is experiencing \u200bemergency conditions at this\u2062 time\u201d and still sits <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ercot.com\/txans?utm_source=media&#038;utm_medium=release&#038;utm_campaign=conservation-jan14&#038;utm_id=txans\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">one level below a statewide energy emergency alert<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>For the millions of Texans who \u200dERCOT <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2021\/02\/19\/report-texas-electricity-provider-put-off-on-site-winter-inspections-due-to-covid-protocols\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">stranded without\u2064 power<\/a> during record-low temperatures at the beginning of 2021, \u2062the request to reduce electricity usage\u2062 amid <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/texas\/news\/weather-alerts-in-place-as-dangerous-cold-wintry-mix-cover-north-texas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">hazardous sub-zero\u2062 temperatures and wind chill conditions<\/a> \u2064looks like \u200ca dire warning sign of another potential power grid collapse.<\/p>\n<p>Already, \u2062ERCOT noted that the conservation appeal issued\u2063 for Monday morning could easily extend to Tuesday when the operator is \u201cexpecting \u2063similar \u2063conditions\u201d and grid exertion due to \u201ccontinued freezing temperatures \u200band very high demand in the morning hours.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The threat of more conservation demands contradicts <a href=\"https:\/\/www.texastribune.org\/2024\/01\/12\/texas-power-grid-conservation-arctic-blast\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ERCOT<\/a> and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott\u2019s claims that the grid is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fox4news.com\/news\/gov-abbott-texas-power-grid-much-more-prepared-for-winter-weather-than-in-the-past\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u201cmuch more\u2064 prepared\u201d<\/a> to handle winter weather now than it\u200d was in 2021.<\/p>\n<p>Texans, unlike \u200cresidents in\u2063 colder,\u200c northern states, are severely underprepared to handle long \u2062spurts of cold and icy conditions. \u200cTheir panic over being sentenced\u200c to their homes in low temperatures without power <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JaieAvila\/status\/1745973420033032193\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">caused chaos<\/a> at local grocery stores, which were\u200b <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/deaflibertarian\/status\/1746527333945626845?s=20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">cleaned\u200c out of\u200c essentials<\/a> over \u2063the weekend.<\/p>\n<p>During Winter Storm Uri\u2064 in 2021, Texans\u2019 unpreparedness, combined with ERCOT failures, led to damages like <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2021\/02\/24\/after-burst-pipes-flooded-texas-homes-many-are-blessed-with-free-repairs-texas-takes-care-of-texas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">frozen and burst pipes<\/a>, resulting in \u2064 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tdi.texas.gov\/reports\/documents\/feb2021-tx-winter-weather-summary-mar2022.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">$11.2 billion\u2062 in insured losses \u200dthroughout \u2062the state<\/a>.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>Jordan Boyd is a staff writer at The Federalist and co-producer of\u2063 The Federalist Radio Hour. Her \u2062work has also been featured in The Daily Wire, Fox News, and \u200cRealClearPolitics. Jordan graduated from Baylor University\u200b where she majored in political science \u2063and \u2064minored\u200b in journalism. Follow her on Twitter @jordanboydtx.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div>\n<div data-image data-amount=\"5\">\n<h2>Popular<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/thefederalist.com\/#\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/thefederalist.com\/#\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/thefederalist.com\/#\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/thefederalist.com\/#\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/thefederalist.com\/#\"><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> What is the aim\u200c of ERCOT&#8217;s conservation appeal and why is it necessary?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  \u200b ERCOT, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, has issued a conservation \u2063appeal to \u200dTexans in the midst of a record-breaking arctic blast. The aim of this \u2064appeal is to reduce power usage and lower demands on the state&#8217;s &#8220;tight&#8221; grid, as electricity reserves are dwindling.<\/p>\n<p>According to the latest ERCOT press release, the strain on the grid is due\u200c to \u2062the difficulty green energy sources have in meeting the demands of customers. The subsidized \u2062wind and solar power that ERCOT relies on are struggling to keep up, \u200dparticularly during extreme heat waves and now,\u2063 during freezing temperatures.<\/p>\n<p>ERCOT has admitted that solar generation is not available \u2063in the early morning\u2063 hours, which is a peak demand time\u2063 during winter, and wind generation is forecasted to \u200dbe lower than expected. This creates a significant \u200cchallenge in \u200cmeeting the electricity demands of Texans.<\/p>\n<p>The forecast for Monday&#8217;s statewide electricity usage is 83,000 megawatts, surpassing the previous peak demand record. The situation is becoming increasingly precarious as it edges closer to ERCOT&#8217;s all-time peak electricity demand. However, ERCOT emphasizes that the call to \u200bconserve energy does not indicate\u200c emergency conditions at this time, as they \u2064still sit below a statewide energy emergency alert\u200b level.<\/p>\n<p>For many Texans who experienced power outages during the extreme cold temperatures in 2021, this conservation appeal triggers concerns of another potential power grid collapse. The request to reduce electricity usage during hazardous sub-zero temperatures is seen as a dire warning\u2063 sign.<\/p>\n<p>ERCOT has already acknowledged that the conservation appeal could extend to Tuesday due to similar conditions and high\u2062 demand\u2064 in the morning hours. This threat of continued conservation demands contradicts previous claims by ERCOT and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott that the grid is well-prepared for winter weather events.<\/p>\n<p>The current situation highlights the challenges faced by the\u2063 Texas power grid and raises questions about the reliability\u2064 of\u200c green energy sources. With extreme weather events becoming more frequent, it is\u2064 imperative to reassess and\u200c strengthen the state&#8217;s\u200c power infrastructure to ensure the resilience\u2064 and stability of the grid.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) urged Texans to conserve power amid a severe arctic blast. ERCOT requested residents to reduce electricity usage and lower thermostats to alleviate strain on the state&#8217;s power grid<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":490,"featured_media":2149256,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[546],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2149255","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-federalist"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2149255","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/490"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2149255"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2149255\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2149256"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2149255"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2149255"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2149255"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}