Energy Grid – American Conservative Movement

Rolling Blackouts Could Impact South Again This Winter

Chase Smith, The Epoch Times — Tue, 28 Nov 2023 05:40:52 +0000

(The Epoch Times)—As winter approaches, concerns about the reliability of the electric grid in the southern United States have been raised, especially after the rolling blackouts experienced last year.

The North American Electric Reliability Corporation’s (NERC’s) 2023–2024 Winter Reliability Assessment (WRA) released earlier this month provides a comprehensive view of the potential challenges and readiness of the bulk power system (BPS) for the upcoming winter season.

This assessment is a crucial tool for informing industry leaders, planners, operators, and regulatory bodies about the potential risks and necessary actions to ensure reliable power supply during the winter months.

“This forecast again shows that our nation faces looming grid reliability challenges while demand for electricity continues to soar,” NERC CEO and former U.S. Rep. Jim Matheson said in a press release. “That’s unacceptable and should be cause for concern for all Americans. To avoid catastrophe, policymakers must recognize their role in threatening the reliability of the grid and take steps to help prevent rolling blackouts before it’s too late.”

Focus on the South

One of the key findings of the WRA is the risk of insufficient electricity supplies during peak winter conditions.

A significant portion of the North American BPS, including areas in the southern United States, is at risk because of prolonged cold snaps that can lead to high generator outages and increased demand, particularly from electric heating systems, according to the report.

The Midcontinent Independent System Operator region, which has seen an increase in available resources through new wind and natural-gas-fired generation, remains vulnerable to extreme cold-weather events, particularly in its southern areas.

These events can cause high generator outages due to inadequate weatherization or insufficient natural gas fuel supplies, such as was seen during outages in 2022 just before Christmas.

Similarly, the regions covered by PJM Interconnection, SERC-East, and SERC-Central are also at risk of energy emergencies during severe cold-weather events.

Despite having adequate resources for normal winter conditions, these regions’ generators are susceptible to decreases in capacity and outages under extreme conditions.

The assessment also highlighted the critical role of generator fuel supplies, particularly natural gas, in ensuring winter electricity demand is met.

The interconnected nature of the natural gas and electric systems means that disruptions in one can have significant effects on the other.

This was notably observed during Winter Storm Elliott, when natural gas production declines led to wide-area electricity and natural gas shortages.

Last Winter

Winter Storm Elliott, which struck in December 2022, was a “once-in-a-generation storm” that brought unprecedented challenges in particular to southern portions of the country serviced by federal energy utility the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).

The storm affected most of the eastern continental United States, bringing heavy snowfall, high winds, and freezing rain, causing widespread travel disruptions and power outages.

The TVA, anticipating the storm, had developed a mid-term forecast and shared it with various teams to complete cold-weather readiness actions and winter readiness certification processes, according to a post-event report the agency released in May.

Despite these preparations, the storm’s speed, its intensity, and the resulting conditions exceeded the TVA’s forecasts and efforts.

The TVA system experienced its coldest average temperature since February 1996, with lows in major cities such as Nashville and Memphis dropping to 1 degree F. Energy demand surged, resulting in the highest 24-hour electricity demand supplied in the TVA’s history on Dec. 23, 2022, according to the report.

The TVA team worked to increase generation and meet the soaring demand. This involved dispatching units that weren’t previously in service and executing day-ahead, real-time, and emergency purchases.

Despite these efforts, the TVA faced significant challenges. Of its 232 generating units, 38 were negatively affected, mostly because instrumentation froze. This resulted in the TVA’s nuclear and hydro assets, which weren’t affected by the extreme weather, playing a crucial role in supporting energy demand during the event.

The severity and scale of Winter Storm Elliott led to decreased availability of TVA-owned and contracted electricity supply and decreases in imported electricity from neighboring markets. To maintain grid stability, the TVA was forced to implement emergency procedures, directing local power companies to reduce power demand, resulting in localized interruptions. This was the first time in the TVA’s 90-year history that such measures had to be taken.

NERC Recommendations

NERC states that coal, another vital fuel for electricity generation in winter, also faces challenges. Although generator owners report fewer coal supply issues than they had last winter, there are concerns about coal transportation, particularly in areas affected by drought conditions that could restrict coal availability and affect generator output, according to the report.

Another area of concern is the growing complexity in load forecasting during winter, the report says. The electrification of the heating sector and the increase in variable solar power resources add to the unpredictability of electricity demand, making it challenging to accurately forecast and plan for peak demand conditions.

Recommendations by the agency include reviewing seasonal operating plans, implementing cold-weather preparations, monitoring fuel supplies, and being prepared for potential reserve deficiencies.

Additionally, regulators are encouraged to support grid operators with environmental and transportation waivers and public appeals for energy conservation.

Events such as winter storms Uri in 2021 and Elliott in 2022 have underscored the need for improved cold-weather preparedness and coordination between generator owners and operators and BPS operators, the agency added.

The assessment stresses the importance of planning and coordination to address the various challenges that could affect the reliability of the electric grid in the southern United States during the winter to keep customers warm.

GREEN DEAL HOAX: California’s Electricity Price Soars Despite “Climate-Friendly” State Legislation

Belle Carter, Natural News — Sat, 13 May 2023 15:47:13 +0000

California’s retail electricity price is highest in the United States and more than twice the average power cost in the western part of the country.

Since 1998, Democrats have controlled California’s state legislature. They adopted ineffective, misguided and economically damaging energy and climate legislation that created skyrocketing electricity prices for California residents, businesses and organizations.

But despite the Golden State’s supposedly “climate-friendly” legislative schemes, its 2021 average retail electricity price was the highest in the entire country at 19.65 cents per kilowatt hour, an increase of 224.6 percent from the 1999 price of 8.75 cents per kilowatt hour.

The 10 other states in the western U.S. region have a 2021 average retail electricity price of only 9.19 cents per kilowatt hour.

Energy Information Administration (EIA) data shows that the average retail electricity price for the entire country from 1999 to 2021 only grew by 67.16 percent – 6.64 cents per kilowatt hour from 1999 to 11.10 cents per kilowatt hour in 2021.

EIA is the principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System responsible for collecting, analyzing and disseminating energy information. The EIA average retail electricity price data provided the total electric industry price in each state, which includes price information from all full-service providers, restructured retail service providers, energy-only providers and delivery-only service providers. These electric service provider categories comprise the total electricity supply services utilized within each state.

Moreover, the data are established for residential, commercial, industrial, transportation and other consumer categories with an overall total price average included for each state as well the average across the United States.

California shoots itself in the foot with clean energy measures

According to Bloomberg, the jump in demand for natural gas, supply constraints and aging infrastructure has left the region vulnerable to price spikes. Also, the rainy winter has bought up challenges in the green energy transition, proving Californians are not ready yet to sacrifice their use of fossil fuels.

“Unfortunately for Californians, they’re going through this bumpy energy transition where everything doesn’t just fit exactly,” Wood Mackenzie Ltd Research Director Eugene Kim said. “It’s a battle between longer-term energy transition versus your immediate needs.”

Limited storage, damage to a key pipeline and a surge in demand have sent natural gas prices soaring in the state.

California Governor Gavin Newsom and other state politicians were adamant in pushing climate proposals that poured investment into the energy transition, moving away from natural gas and nuclear generation and discouraging significant investment in storage and pipeline capacity.

However, as residents complain of monthly electricity bills approaching $800, the governor has had no choice but to call for an investigation into the prices. (Related: Communist California has mandated unlimited electricity “basic service” at fixed monthly rates for consumers – will end in a grid-down disaster.)

A prolonged drought followed by a wet and chilly winter at first stymied the state’s hydropower capacity and then crippled its short-term solar generation. The gap has left California ill-equipped to deal with any surge in demand or disruption to supply, both of which have happened in recent months. The cold winter has also made Californians crank up their heating systems and has left working gas stockpiles in the Pacific region at their lowest level for this time of year since at least 2010.

Follow NewEnergyReport.com to catch the latest updates on electricity prices.

Watch the video below that talks about California’s energy crisis.

This video is from the Millennial Millie Clips channel on Brighteon.com.

America’s Infrastructure Is Falling Apart, as Evidenced by Water Supply and Power Grid Failures

Kevin Hughes, Natural News — Fri, 09 Sep 2022 22:54:47 +0000

Editor’s Commentary: On today’s episode of The JD Rucker Show, I discussed this story below by Kevin Hughes over at Natural News. While it’s clear that between water and electrical grid failures we are starting to enter a very troubling time in America, it’s important to remember that we MUST take charge of our own future. That means breaking away from dependence on government as much as possible, even for expected services like utilities.

Some can get off the grid. Others can only supplement and reduce their dependency. Either way, it’s important that we start tackling this problem as self-reliant individual American citizens immediately. Here’s my show followed by the article by Kevin Hughes…

America’s infrastructure is falling apart, as evidenced by the water shortage in Mississippi and the power grid failure in California.

Residents of Jackson, Mississippi waited in line to obtain water for drinking, bathing, cooking and flushing toilets on Aug. 31 after its water system failed due to the Pearl River’s flooding. A news release from the city said the main water-treatment plant had “challenges with water chemistry,” leading to a dip in water output and a significant drop in water pressure. Prior to the water service disruption, the 150,000 residents of Jackson had been boiling their drinking water as officials warned it could lead to digestive issues.

A day before, Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba said repairing the city’s water system could run to “quite possibly billions of dollars.” He pointed to short staffing and “decades of deferred maintenance” as the culprits for the water system’s deterioration.

Jackson’s predicament is similar to other cities, as it faces water system trouble it can’t afford to repair. Its tax base has crumbled the last few decades as the population declined. The city’s populace is now more than 80 percent Black, with about 25 percent of its people living in poverty.

The state and federal government came to the rescue of Jackson, the Magnolia State’s capital. Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves announced a state of emergency for Jackson’s water system on Aug. 30, while President Joe Biden authorized an emergency declaration for the state on the same day.

The following day, Biden called Lumumba to talk about response efforts involving the Environmental Protection Agency, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers. The president also expressed intent to give Jackson’s aging water infrastructure much-needed federal support.

Meanwhile, Reeves said the state will try to aid Jackson by hiring contractors to work at the O.B. Curtis Water Treatment Plant. The facility, which was the root of Jackson’s water miseries, had been operating at reduced capacity with backup pumps after the principal pumps failed. The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency later posted footage of an emergency rental pump being installed in the water treatment facility on Twitter.

California power grid on the brink of collapse

Meanwhile, the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) circulated a level 1 energy emergency alert quickly after tapping all its accessible power supplies.

Californians, despite prior warnings to decrease usage, decided to charge their electric vehicles. This subsequently drove demand beyond capacity. (Related: Blackout risk in California: EV owners told to avoid charging their vehicles or the power grid might collapse.)

“It is pretty clear Mother Nature has outrun us. The reality is we’re living in an age of extremes – extreme heat, extreme drought,” California Gov. Gavin Newsom stated during a news conference. He also released an executive order on Aug. 31 to free up emergency power supplies.

Officials urged residents to reduce power use between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. as temperatures rose beyond 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

The heat presents the largest test to the grid since the summer of 2020, when rotating outages overwhelmed parts of the state.

Follow WaterWars.news for more news about the water crisis in America.

Watch the video below to know why Jackson, Mississippi blames the “White Flight” for water crisis.

This video is from the InfoWars channel on Brighteon.com.