Power Grid Failures Could Wreak Havoc in Texas This Summer

Posted: May 5, 2023 10:41 am

Texans are being told to brace for the possibility of widespread power outages this coming summer as the mercury rises.

Explosion in Population Putting Power Grid at Risk in Texas

Officials are putting part of the blame of the problem of power outages on the state’s growing population. The population in the Lone Star State has increased 24% since the year 2002, however, the power supply has not been able to keep up with this explosion of growth.

For instance, during this same time period, ERCOT confirmed that its on-demand dispatchable power supply bandwidth has only increased by 1.5%.

As a result of this data, there is growing concern that it will take just one heat wave to send the state’s power grid melting.

State leaders confirmed this week that the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ECROT) may be able to get by using renewable sources as the heat gets turned up. But there is also the potential of widespread brownouts as the summer wears on.

Role of Renewable Energy Sources

ERCOT released its seasonal assessment on Wednesday, predicting a new record for demand. Should this demand come to fruition, fossil fuel power sources will not be able to meet the demands of Texans.

Residents will need to lean on sources such as wind and solar power.

The silver lining is that Texas is harnessing the power of wind energy in a greater capacity. ERCOT said that wind energy accounts for 28.5% of the state’s energy capacity, second to only natural gas at 48.6%.

According to state officials, Texas leads the country in its ability to generate power through the wind.

The greatest risk for Texans this summer will come at night after the sun is no longer shining. This is because all forms of solar power disappear at night. This will put the onus on the wind power to fill in the gaps.

However, there will inevitably be days in which the wind supply will not be able to meet the demands of consumers. Hot and stifled days with little to no wind will present the biggest problem.

ERCOT uses on-demand dispatchable generators to help to keep the power on but even these can give out during times of extreme heat.

ERCOT officials said that the most likely time of rolling blackouts will come after 9 pm when there is no solar energy to draw upon. The agency said that it will continue to communicate with consumers about the upcoming risks and when they can expect blackouts so that they can properly prepare.

Texans will not soon forget the power grid issues that faced the state during the winter of 2021. Over 50 people died as a result of the failure that left millions of residents without heat during some of the coldest temperatures the state had seen in years.

While some officials initially blamed the reliance on renewable energy as the culprit, further examination detailed that all types of power failed.

What Kind of Summer is in Store for Texas?

Unfortunately for Texans, the summer of 2023 is predicted to be a hot one. The forecast is calling for widespread and relentless heat across a large part of the state.

The long-range forecast is predicting that temperatures will hover about 1 to 2 degrees above normal throughout the summer months.

The western and northern portions of the state will see the biggest departure from historical averages with a prediction of readings trending 3 to 4 degrees above normal. It goes without saying that temperatures of this degree will also increase cooling demand, increasing the use of energy on a wide scale.

The best thing that you can do as an energy consumer is to keep abreast of any potential blackouts so that you can prepare.

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