Deregulation started in 95. Jan is just being a cranky old contrarian as usual. Texas republicans 100% did this to themselves.
More Texas Stupid……
- Thread starter joelbc1
- Start date
The recent problems have been raised and (not) dealt with by Republicans….that is why Texans might be needing a change in policy….Dems have been a non-player in Texas politics for over a decade, at least…..and as we both know…..ultimate POWER corrupts, ultimately. Iowa is in a similar path.
You said you went to Dallas. How was I supposed to know you drove and explored the highways outside of Dallas? I’m just a redneck Texan here. We don’t read minds like you brilliant midwesterners.
The rural / urban divide that is gripping the country grips Texas just the same. Live in a city and you’ll never even see these people unless you go into their domain.
I dunno…..Depends on who you talk with, I suppose…..but I bet you got an answer for me, right? California has problems I am sure……but utilities/grip and service aren’t what the are in Texas, I bet.
Nah, they just have and or initiate rolling blackouts because their infrastructure can’t support its customers all the time. Kind of like Texas.
How California's Power Crisis Works
Another series of rolling blackouts are hitting California. Learn why this is happening and how it affects you.
science.howstuffworks.com
And California is forcing EVs on its people and don’t even have the means to keep up with the electrical demand.
Let’s check the cost of electricity and natural gas in Texas v California. Bet it is nearly double out west.
Never , ever expect a con, TEXAN to do the correct thing, they will screw it up. This is just another example.
The day to day business isn’t the sincere herer as much as its susceptibility to failure (prolonged) in bad weather situations. In the winter when they had grid failures people literally froze to death because theycouldn’t heat their domiciles…..that is pure bullshit! You are talking unable yo. Repair the grid to a working order in a week or two?
Not being a resident, listening to “conversations” and complaints by locals, utilities have a strange way of charging their customers too……it all seems very “Texas” to me…….meaning it makes no damn sense at all. I mean, aren’t utilities supposed to serve EVERYBODY who signs up for them? And isn’t the obligation of their utility to provide this service and maintain its equipment (grid)? That is not what is being done in Texas according to news/complaintants.
You forgot this part:
And California is forcing EVs on its people and don’t even have the means to keep up with the electrical demand.
EVs??Nah, they just have and or initiate rolling blackouts because their infrastructure can’t support its customers all the time. Kind of like Texas.
How California's Power Crisis Works
Another series of rolling blackouts are hitting California. Learn why this is happening and how it affects you.
And California is forcing EVs on its people and don’t even have the means to keep up with the electrical demand.
I just see where Oregon is offering “smart thermostats) to customers that will automatically reduce service to customers during peak usage periods for a reduction in rate……..Iowa has done this (voluntarily) for several years in the summer……..The point being these states utilities maintain and monitor ther power grids far better and more efficiently than Texas. These states aren’t forcing their customers to go off line for extended periods of time, unannounced.
Avg texan pays 14.58 cents per kilowatt-hour. And that isn't the crazy demand rates that go into the tens of thousands during storms.
I pay 11.76 to 15.68 per kilowatt-hour.
Why? I live in Iowa and have no plans on moving to either. Natural gas ought to be dirt cheap in Texas….its right there.
One of the most coveted jobs in Texas is that of Railroad Commissioner….because the Railroad Commissioner controls the gas pipelines in the entire state of Texas…..I bet he gets a lot of free dinners….
LMFAO. CA has rolling blackouts every couple of years that last for a few hours in a few neighborhoods. Texas loses power for weeks when it snows.Nah, they just have and or initiate rolling blackouts because their infrastructure can’t support its customers all the time. Kind of like Texas.
How California's Power Crisis Works
Another series of rolling blackouts are hitting California. Learn why this is happening and how it affects you.
And California is forcing EVs on its people and don’t even have the means to keep up with the electrical demand.
Shit, it's been 110 or hotter for 10 days straight and no blackouts yet this year.
CA is at about 50% renewable energy too.
That storm was an historic event. I lived through it in my ancient house. I had neighbors with thousands of dollars in pipe burst damages. People left their homes without shutting off the water. Others did moronic shit that killed them with carbon monoxide.
Out of 30 million people, 246 died, and nowhere near all those died because of the grid failing. Many died on the road when their cars broke down. None of this is good, but let’s not act like the grid has created this hellscape that holds Texans hostage and destroys society. Texas has power that is cheaper than the national average and it works the overwhelming majority of the time.
https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2024/04/29/california-extreme-weather-power-outages
I bet that joel guy was livid when this happened, I mean just fuming!
Just two months ago, a severe storm left more than 700,000 Bay Area customers without power and was blamed for at least three deaths.
I bet that joel guy was livid when this happened, I mean just fuming!
Just two months ago, a severe storm left more than 700,000 Bay Area customers without power and was blamed for at least three deaths.
They had another significant event there a year ot so later…..I was down there for that one and listened to the locals piss and moan about “how can this happen again?”
So Phil, let’s not bullshit a bullshitter….ok? Texas utilities leave a lot to be desired. And this current legislature has done nothing to correct the problem….even though they are on-going.
So Phil, let’s not bullshit a bullshitter….ok? Texas utilities leave a lot to be desired. And this current legislature has done nothing to correct the problem….even though they are on-going.
I don’t know anyone that has ever lost power for a week in Texas. Even in 21, they were running rolling blackouts in many areas. Some lost power for a few days.
Come on Bel, don't be a joel. That's literally happened one time in an unprecedented event and it wasn't weeks, it was days. It doesn't snow in Texas every year. I'm not saying there's not work to be done on the grid, but A. power goes out during a hurricane, I don't care what state you live in and what party their governor belongs to and B. people need to quit pointing to a one-time event as the norm.
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During the 2021 Texas snowstorm, also known as Winter Storm Uri, power outages varied widely across the state, lasting anywhere from a few hours to several days. The storm began on February 10, 2021, and by February 15, significant power outages had begun. The most severe outages occurred between February 15 and February 19 (5 days).
Yup
Huh, maybe my sister doesn't really live in Ft. Worth.
Power outages in Dallas-Fort Worth extend into fifth day following storms
More than half a million people are still without power five days after severe storms struck North Texas.
www.nbcdfw.com
Demand rates? Lol. So you read about the griddy customers who signed up for insane variable rate contracts, got dirt cheap power for years, then got hit in a surge? That was probably less than .01% of customers. Most people have fixed rate contracts.
National average is like 16 cents kWh. Texas delivers below that, California is double Texas. It ain’t all bad
Come on, people were freezing to death and others were getting bills for tens of thousands of dollars. Five days is a long time to be out of power when it's just cold weather.
lol. A major wind storm physically destroyed overhead lines, this would knock out power anywhere. This isn’t an issue created by privatization, it is created by geography.Huh, maybe my sister doesn't really live in Ft. Worth.
Power outages in Dallas-Fort Worth extend into fifth day following storms
More than half a million people are still without power five days after severe storms struck North Texas.
Tell that to the Texas Tribune.
Texas leaders failed to heed warnings that left the state's power grid vulnerable to winter extremes, experts say
Texas officials knew winter storms could leave the state’s power grid vulnerable, but they left the choice to prepare for harsh weather up to the power companies — many of which opted against the costly upgrades. That, plus a deregulated energy market largely isolated from the rest of the...
www.texastribune.org
It also happened in ‘22. I was down there during that one…..not as severe but significant. You can spin it however you want….problems were uncovered/investigated by the Legislature…..but nothing changed. Utilities even testified “maintenance” of the grid was neglected as it was not profitable.
Texas politicians saw electricity deregulation as a better future. Years later, millions lost power.
A debate has erupted about whether the deregulation of the Texas electricity market contributed to the most calamitous week in recent state history.
www.usatoday.com
Lolz. You’re posting links from different events here.Tell that to the Texas Tribune.
Texas leaders failed to heed warnings that left the state's power grid vulnerable to winter extremes, experts say
Texas officials knew winter storms could leave the state’s power grid vulnerable, but they left the choice to prepare for harsh weather up to the power companies — many of which opted against the costly upgrades. That, plus a deregulated energy market largely isolated from the rest of the...
The ‘21 grid event is well documented. Yes, the govt failed to hold accountable its private partners. Yes, it was driven by greed. This doesn’t mean every time the power goes out in Texas it is because everyone in Texas is retarded and corporations are greedy.
I didn't say it wasn't. My point is people need to quit stating that as the norm. It happened once and lasted at worst 5 days. I lived through it and it sucked a$$. My whole family slept in the living room in front of the fireplace and we cooked outside on our gas grill.
They rolled the dice and lost. I don't carry flood insurance because I'm not on a flood plain. It could bite me in the arse one day, but I'm gambling it won't. People in Alaska typically don't have AC. We don't need it up there. However, there have been record breaking high temps that were unprecedented, but it's not the norm. Aside from snowpacalypse of 2021, I've never been w/o power for more than a few hours in 24 years, joel. I'm sorry that pisses you off so much. During my 19 years in FL had many more long-term power outages due to hurricanes.
If Texas had a Democrat governor, you wouldn't give two flying farts what Texas does or doesn't do.
So what you're saying is....that deregulation has bitten Texans in the ass more than once.
I agree.
Come on, Texas had been warned about it's grid for years. It was a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Texas gets snow, it's not uncommon for winter storms to hit. I lived thru a few.
What I’m saying is that it has, but the impacts have been greatly exaggerated
Well, it's still not "fixed", but they're making improvements. And FWIW, here is a comparison of my summer electric bills since 2021:
2021
June - 163
July - 214
August - 204
2022
June - 252
July - 321
August - 303
2023 (hottest summer on record)
June - 209
July - 288
August - 237
2024
June - 224
July - 228
August - TBD
We had to take it up the rump in 2022 after that winter storm, but looks like improvements are getting things back to normal.
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TL;DR Summary:
The Texas power grid has undergone significant changes following the severe outages experienced during the 2021 winter storm, prompting a rapid evolution aimed at enhancing reliability and sustainability. Texas operates independently from the Eastern and Western grids, allowing for market-driven policies and reduced federal oversight but requiring self-sufficiency in meeting electricity demands within state borders. As the state grapples with increasing population and business growth, including energy-intensive sectors like bitcoin mining, there has been a notable shift towards renewable energy sources such as wind and solar. By 2023, these renewables accounted for nearly a third of the grid's fuel sources, reducing reliance on fossil fuels like gas and coal.
Despite challenges associated with the intermittent nature of renewable resources, advancements in battery storage technology have supported their integration into the grid, helping to stabilize supply during peak demand periods. This transition has not only contributed to preventing outages but has also led to lower electricity costs for consumers. To manage escalating electricity demand—fueled by factors like population growth and climate-driven extreme weather—ERCOT has expanded its capacity, although concerns about grid reliability persist, prompting conservation measures during periods of strain.
Looking forward, Texas is increasingly focused on further developing renewable energy infrastructure while addressing the aging of existing fossil fuel plants. The state's commitment to incentivizing "dispatchable" resources like natural gas and coal aims to bolster grid stability while managing the costs associated with integrating more intermittent renewables. These efforts underscore Texas's ongoing transformation towards a more resilient and sustainable energy future, albeit one that requires careful balancing of technological advancement, regulatory oversight, and consumer affordability.
Bullshit…..Individal Party has no part in my concern…….Texas is one strange place….from its schools, to its HS football to its history and its politics……just strange.
However Texas began its quest to “deregulate “ in the mid 90’s or so…..and which Party has been the Party of Power for the majority of these years?
Now I believe Texas is getting ready to move back to the democrats…..but the “politics” of Texas will be slow to change….and the losers will remain to be its residents. Utilities have become profit centers and not service oriented.
