Texas Fall/Winter thread!

[Doofy]

Stay Safe out there!

 

[rswyan]

We finally started our turn with the power outages. Our power went off at 11:13 a.m. for one hour and one minute I think, and then came back on. It can do that several times a day and not hurt us.

Bird,

I hope they stay short duration and not many in number.

Stay safe.

 

[bindian]

Not a scientific observation by any means. But it always irked me, that Driving by some of Ontario (Canada) windfarms on the coldest days of the year, they were dead stopped!

All while, "THEY" systematically blew up our steam plants. I REALLY could use some GLOBAL WARNING right about now! I say that tongue in cheek.

But while you are sitting in the dark, ask yourself this. Do you think your Elected Leaders are also sitting in the dark?

Texas wind farms supply 21% of our power, so I am told. During the winter, this is not the case. Texas winds slim down lots in the winter. The South Texas nuclear plant shut down for 36 hours just as this storm hit. Numerous natural gas plants could not get gas because the transmission lines froze and they shut down.

Back during Hurricane Ike, I was without power for 7 days. During Harvey, we never lost power. The last hurricanes of 2020 that ripped into La, had us in blackout and our power was fed to La via Entergy's lines, as their system overlaps the state line.

Our power was out 21 hours starting last Monday. I would call the outage line and SHECO told me three different times power would be restored. They didn't even know (when I finally got to talk to a live person) if our outage was from downed lines or rolling blackouts. TV news said rolling blackouts would be 45 minutes to an hour. Not 21 hours.

The thing is..............like the photo of the hovering helicopter spraying glycol on wind generator blades..............ice causes imbalances and the wind generators go into auto shutdown, before the blades are destroyed. Guess they don't have anti ice measures (like aircraft propellor blades have) to get by as cheap as possible. Power companies did not do ERCOT's recommended winter safeguards. They didn't want the expense. Well, they got blood on their hands now. Heads need to roll. ERCOT has too many board members not living in Texas. This is not acceptable.

Add to all this outage is it takes out water pumps. After freezing two nights without water, it was nice to wash my hair with hot water this morning.

I am fed up with the blackouts. I am getting a whole house generator. Neighbor got whole house solar last summer. I cringe seeing the 4 inch blanket of snow while thinking of that snow covering the panels.
hugs, Brandi

 

[bindian]

Bird,

I hope they stay short duration and not many in number.

Stay safe.

I got a friend in Houston that is in his THIRD rolling blackout now. I got a friend in Magnolia, Texas that has been without power for 36 hours. The problem is we don't know if it is a rolling blackout or lines down. The whole time we were without power, we could look across the back of my property and see the power on. This all just stinks. We need to build more natural gas power plants. Texas has tons and tons of natural gas.
hugs, Brandi

 

[Industrial Toys]

Neighbor farm sold a week ago. Has Solar Panels with some Government Sweetheart "Green" Program that my old deceased friend arranged. Panels have been under snow maybe since christmas. At least, as a taxpayer, I know they didn't get paid several times the going rate for power during that time. lol

 

[txdon]

I have a small Yamaha generator but its no use starting it. Our rolling black outs are 2 hours on 2 hours off, very workable. When the lights go on we jump into action, when they go off we hibernate. Water pressure is remaining stable. My mom's electricity is rolling on and off every 15 minutes.

 

[bindian]

I have a small Yamaha generator but its no use starting it. Our rolling black outs are 2 hours on 2 hours off, very workable. When the lights go on we jump into action, when they go off we hibernate. Water pressure is remaining stable. My mom's electricity is rolling on and off every 15 minutes.

How is she doing? Have Y'all adjusted to urban life?
hugs, Brandi

 

[txdon]

How is she doing? Have Y'all adjusted to urban life?
hugs, Brandi

She is doing fine, had her second covid shot 2 weeks ago.
I found where they hid the tractors out here, so I get my tractor fix. The county is opening a new 1300 acre park next month and for the last year the neighborhood trail crew is working the trails there and here. My organic raised bed garden is producing well. All is good.

 

[check 6]

we have had rolling black outs since Monday unscheduled but lasting only 45 minutes to an hour. Also had no water on Monday. Power went off at 4:30 this morning and came back on around 3 this afternoon ... house did get cold. Outside roads are clear, got the driveway shoveled and snow is melting but they are forecasting more winter tonight. Hope they are wrong. Have a large limb that partially broke off but will leave it until it warms and the yard dries out. Im just east of San Antonio and there are folks in San Antonio that have not had power since Sunday... so much for green energy. everyone stay warm and safe THIS IS NOT TEXAS WEATHER

 

[bcp]

View attachment 686671

Same photo of a helicopter spraying hot water on turbine on the first page of this 2016 PDF from Europe.

https://energiforskmedia.blob.core....wind-turbines-energiforskrapport-2016-300.pdf

Bruce