Blackouts possible in Texas says grid operator

• 12 years ago (2011-12-02)
• David Flin

Africa 306 Asia 860 Australasia 51 Biomass 8 Climate change 20 Coal 282 Cogeneration 1 Concentrating solar 5 Cyber security 8 Decarbonisation 1 Decentralised energy 5 Demand side management 2 Demand side response 2 Digitalisation 10 Distributed energy 10 Distribution 113 Electric vehicles EVs 4 Emissions 61 Energy management 1 Equipment 2 Europe 1068 Gas 379 Gas engine plant 62 Gas fuel 2 Horizon 2 Hydroelectric 17 Hydrogen 56 Hydropower 116 Latin America 77 Maintenance 3 Marine 1 Metering 2 microgrid 5 Middle East 317 North America 1004 Nuclear 643 Offshore wind 119 Oil 18 Operations 4 Policy 8 Regulations 3 Renewables 757 smart grid 2 Solar 250 Storage 40 substation 8 Tepco 2 Tidal 2 Toshiba 4 Transmission 181 US Senate Washington 4 Wind 240

---

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) has said that the state needs more generating capacity if it is to avoid repeats of last February’s rolling blackouts and the summer’s power supply crises. Trip Doggett, Chief Executive of ERCOT, said: “Our assessment indicates a concern if we experience a simultaneous occurrence of extreme weather and worst-case generation outages.”

Doggett said that under normal winter conditions, peak demand should be 53,600 MW, compared with a normal generation capacity of 64,000 MW. However, extreme weather conditions could cause demand to rise to 60,000 MW, and generation could dip to 57,000 MW.

In a separate 10-year assessment, ERCOT said its reserve generating capacity “will likely fall below the minimum target beginning next summer.” ERCOT cites decisions to mothball some older generation units, delays in planned generation construction, and higher demand expectations. ERCOT expects to have a 12 percent reserve margin in the next two summer peak seasons, less than its recommended 13.75 percent margin.

Doggett said: “We are very concerned about the drop in the reserve margin. If we stay in the current cycle of hot and dry summers, we will be very tight on capacity next summer and have a repeat of this year’s emergency procedures and conservation appeals.” He said that the grid operator is working with the Public Utility Commission of Texas on rule changes that would include expansion of ERCOT’s emergency demand response programme.

Because of concerns over the persistent drought, the present level of generating capacity and further mothballing of generation units because of new clean air requirements, ERCOT has asked transmission operators to conduct a thorough review of the capacity that they can contribute to the grid.