ffweasel
Weasel Power
Thanks. I have heard of the term, but never knew what it was.
And it has begun.. Our power is now out.
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It's Freezing in Texas, please shut the freezer door up north...... (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter coopersdad
- Start date
And it has begun.. Our power is now out.
cosjobs
Footballguy
Our power just went down again. Took a dozen pulls to fire up the generator this time, it was covered in 4-5 inches of snow.
Ugh, hope you guys are doing ok. One thing I definitely didn't appreciate until you all explained it was that you have electric heat. With the grid not being able to keep up and the rolling black outs, that can cause real problems. If our gas ever stopped flowing we'd be hosed. Pipes freezing is my biggest fear when it gets cold, hopefully you guys don't have to deal with that. 24 hours and we should be past the worst of it, hopefully you can make it that long.
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ffweasel
Weasel Power
whoknew
Footballguy
I don’t understand what is going on. They said there were going to be rotations that lasted about 40 minutes. That was 5 hours ago.I’m in Austin as well. I’m freezing.Wearing layers and multiple blankets.
JaxBill
Footballguy
@houstontranstar: Houston's freeways are completely covered with ice. STAY HOME. https://twitter.com/houstontranstar/status/1361281408455606277/photo/1
MAC_32
Footballguy
Ah-ha, was not aware. Thanks
Life is different up here where we always get all 4 seasons.
bigbottom
Footballguy
Scary. Take care.I’m in Austin as well. I’m freezing.
Ron Swanson
Footballguy
No. The electric heat we refer to is generally heat pump and/or electric strips as part of the HVAC system. Designed really to take the chill off and heat the house in an extreme emergency but not really for comfort.
Space heaters are a whole 'nother issue. Usually during these cold snaps those become a leading cause of death either from accidental house fires or carbon monoxide poisoning. So I cringe when I hear those get suggested.
joffer
Footballguy
JaxBill
Footballguy
@JohnHonore: Temperatures across Texas as of 8 am CST. This map is amazing. -13°F in Dumas. -10°F at Amarillo. Widespread single-digit readings. No part of the state is above 25°F - much less freezing! #TXwx https://twitter.com/JohnHonore/status/1361320947622510598/photo/1
Al Czervik
Not wearing pants
Wow. Be safe down there. Did I hear the freezing temps are supposed to last all week?
This boggles my mind. Parts of Texas are only 10 degrees warmer than Minneapolis. The whole dang country is freezing.
top dog
Footballguy
Hang in there guys. It is always kind of a joke up here when one of the southern states gets a cold spell. People are like "meh! It snows here all the time. Sissies!" What they don't realize is the things we take for granted like a two stage high efficiency gas furnace is not used there. A fleet of snow plow drivers who are used to running for blizzards? Not there. Without the infrastructure in place to handle the extreme weather... it is a serious issue.
![[icon]](/data/avatars/m/5/5167.jpg?1660313464){kind=avatar}
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Insoxicated
Most central gas heat systems still require electric blowers to distribute the heat through the house.
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Insoxicated
Just like how when Texans mock Yankees struggling in heat waves when most of them don't have air conditioning?
True. We have radiant heat and the boiler still requires electricity. But either way, the cold isn't likely to cause issues with the electric grid here since we're not using the electric to directly heat things.
joffer
Footballguy
whoknew
Footballguy
Right. I understand the need for rolling blackouts. But I highly doubt the plan was to keep some areas down for 7.5 hours (and counting) at a time.
So, I use a wholesale electric provider in Houston. Loved them. For the past 18 months or so my all in electricity price has been about $0.08 /kWh. Their ap let’s me see how much juice I’m using and the wholesale price I’m paying. I don’t normally check it and they are great at emailing with potential price surges predominately in the summer. So yeah it occasionally will spike to 25, 30, 35 cents per kWh so you watch your electric use during peak periods. Pretty simple stuff to help lower costs and level off demand.
Last Thursday I got an alert that with cold temperatures expect price surges. Ok no big deal. I’m at the office all day and we don’t use that much power during the day on a weekday so I don’t think much of it. Friday I get another email with price surges so I take a look at the ap and pricing is about $2.50/kWh. Wtf. From February 1st - 10th I average 30kwh per day and my daily price is about $0.75 per day. On Thursday my electric cost 22 bucks for the day. On Friday it was another 20 bucks for the day. I wake up Saturday morning and me price per kWh was $8.00
I had a few errands to run and told the family do not use any electricity that day. But ffs at that price and normal weekend usage I’d be paying over 200 bucks for the day. I got home and my provider sent an urgent email strongly suggesting to change energy provider immediately. I did. They also called and texted me to tell me the same.
Thankfully my provider was able to switch out on Saturday. Wholesale electric cost is currently showing at $9 kWh and not expected to go below $7 for at least the next 12 hours.
Last Thursday I got an alert that with cold temperatures expect price surges. Ok no big deal. I’m at the office all day and we don’t use that much power during the day on a weekday so I don’t think much of it. Friday I get another email with price surges so I take a look at the ap and pricing is about $2.50/kWh. Wtf. From February 1st - 10th I average 30kwh per day and my daily price is about $0.75 per day. On Thursday my electric cost 22 bucks for the day. On Friday it was another 20 bucks for the day. I wake up Saturday morning and me price per kWh was $8.00
I had a few errands to run and told the family do not use any electricity that day. But ffs at that price and normal weekend usage I’d be paying over 200 bucks for the day. I got home and my provider sent an urgent email strongly suggesting to change energy provider immediately. I did. They also called and texted me to tell me the same. Thankfully my provider was able to switch out on Saturday. Wholesale electric cost is currently showing at $9 kWh and not expected to go below $7 for at least the next 12 hours.
Instinctive
Footballguy
Are you a consultant currently texting with a team member about this exact topic? LOL. Buddy of mine is worried about the same thing.So, I use a wholesale electric provider in Houston. Loved them. For the past 18 months or so my all in electricity price has been about $0.08 /kWh. Their ap let’s me see how much juice I’m using and the wholesale price I’m paying. I don’t normally check it and they are great at emailing with potential price surges predominately in the summer. So yeah it occasionally will spike to 25, 30, 35 cents per kWh so you watch your electric use during peak periods. Pretty simple stuff to help lower costs and level off demand.
Last Thursday I got an alert that with cold temperatures expect price surges. Ok no big deal. I’m at the office all day and we don’t use that much power during the day on a weekday so I don’t think much of it. Friday I get another email with price surges so I take a look at the ap and pricing is about $2.50/kWh. Wtf. From February 1st - 10th I average 30kwh per day and my daily price is about $0.75 per day. On Thursday my electric cost 22 bucks for the day. On Friday it was another 20 bucks for the day. I wake up Saturday morning and me price per kWh was $8.00
Thankfully my provider was able to switch out on Saturday. Wholesale electric cost is currently showing at $9 kWh and not expected to go below $7 for at least the next 12 hours.
ffweasel
Weasel Power
From my limited understanding the plan was obviously to have about 40 minute rollovers, but they ended up not having enough power to turn us back on and roll it elsewhere.
I’m making some hot cocoa.
joffer
Footballguy
I think that’s right. rolling blackouts work if you’re 10-20% short of needed capacity. if they’re missing 30GW of 70GW, I don’t think it works.From my limited understanding the plan was obviously to have about 40 minute rollovers, but they ended up not having enough power to turn us back on and roll it elsewhere.
I’m making some hot cocoa.
MAC_32
Footballguy
Really? I've never bothered to look at any data, but I'd have thought most of us have AC. We have the infrastructure, but we ##### about the heat because we choose to live here to avoid it.Just like how when Texans mock Yankees struggling in heat waves when most of them don't have air conditioning?
Instinctive
Footballguy
You'd be surprised then. I lived in SF for 5 years and the lack of AC was brutal for the one month a year in the Bay (south bay especially) where it was basically as hot as TX summer.
DallasDMac
Footballguy
Been without power since 2:20 other than a few intermittent 3 min power sessions (yes, 3 min of power, then right back off). No way to cook. Freezing. I hedged my bet and made a hotel reservation since they have power. We can check in at 3. No coffee, peanut butter on bread for breakfast. No idea what lunch will be. Just about as miserable as we could possibly be. And having to listen to this rolling blackout load of garbage is just a slap in the face.
Dinsy Ejotuz
Footballguy
DallasDMac
Footballguy
Livin' large. Had SEVEN MINUTES of power before it went out again. The heat almost had enough time to gen up and actually kick on the blower but not quite.
ffweasel
Weasel Power
We're using the stovetop for pancakes this morning. Had to use a grill lighter to light them though. But yes it’s pretty miserable. Wife works at a hotel so depending on how long this goes on we may go that route as well.
joffer
Footballguy
here’s an interesting thread - https://twitter.com/cohan_ds/status/1361346284230234112?s=21
not sure if it’s 40%, but it’s more than 30%.
coopersdad
Footballguy
Look at the bright side.............we don't have to worry about our perishables.
Mother in Fort Worth has went to a friends house. She was w/o power since 2am. At 830 it was 48 inside, so I told her to remember living in Iowa and drive the 3 miles.
We have not lost power here 1 time, but even w/ bedroom doors closed and all vents closed that are not in living room / sun room / kitchen, heater is running full time to keep house at 60 degrees, and that includes gas fireplace.
1st casualty was brought in by our GoldenDoodle............dove did not make it through the night. I guess the dog thought we were hunting.
It's odd how some people have lost power for 6/7 hours in the rolling blackouts, while others (us) have not lost it once.
Buddy of mine WAS on a "on demand" electric program. Cost normally is about 10 cents / unit. Yesterday it was 22 dollars. He finally got through and changed, but he estimated that his electric bill for yesterday was about $180.
Mother in Fort Worth has went to a friends house. She was w/o power since 2am. At 830 it was 48 inside, so I told her to remember living in Iowa and drive the 3 miles.
We have not lost power here 1 time, but even w/ bedroom doors closed and all vents closed that are not in living room / sun room / kitchen, heater is running full time to keep house at 60 degrees, and that includes gas fireplace.
1st casualty was brought in by our GoldenDoodle............dove did not make it through the night. I guess the dog thought we were hunting.
It's odd how some people have lost power for 6/7 hours in the rolling blackouts, while others (us) have not lost it once.
Buddy of mine WAS on a "on demand" electric program. Cost normally is about 10 cents / unit. Yesterday it was 22 dollars. He finally got through and changed, but he estimated that his electric bill for yesterday was about $180.
Dinsy Ejotuz
Footballguy
Thanks for that thread. The first thing I found when I started reading about this was the fossil fuel peeps blaming solar and wind. Sounded semi-plausible and made me want to learn more, but I guess the limitations of wind in this kind of weather were planned for, and solar is exceeding expected supply ATM. It's mostly an infrastructure thing I guess.
Regardless, good luck to all of you down there. We were without power for 18 hours a couple winters ago and it got down into the 40s overnight. Sent the kids and wife to a friend's house and bundled up while I took care of the house, but remember thinking that's probably not feasible for more than a very short stretch. Can't imagine the impact across a state the size of TX.
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bigbottom
Footballguy
From ABC13’s Travis Herzog (weather guy):
This is a serious situation. We are trying to avoid a *statewide* power failure. If you have power, do your part to conserve energy!!!
There is a “systemwide power failure” across Texas. There are no longer any rolling blackouts. Power generation plants have actually gone offline.
If you have no power, you may not have it back for a day or two. And if you have power, you still may lose it.
Conserve energy, and do everything you can to stay warm.
We will get through this, but it’s going to be a challenge. Hang in there, friends.
10:30AM UPDATE: Yes, this map is not accurate, but it’s the best we have right now. Mayor Turner just announced that CenterPoint now says around 750,000 of their customers (1/4 of their total) have no power.
If you have power, the best way to love on your fellow Texans is to CONSERVE, CONSERVE, CONSERVE! This is not the day to catch up on doing the laundry! Put the thermostat at 65 or lower. Your neighbors without power have indoor temperature closer to 50, and it’s only going to get COLDER tonight.
Latest power info: https://abc13.com/weather/systemwide-power-failure-reported-during-winter-storm/10340431/
Tips to stay warm: https://abc13.com/no-electricity-here-are-some-tips-to-stay-warm/10341013/
This is a serious situation. We are trying to avoid a *statewide* power failure. If you have power, do your part to conserve energy!!! There is a “systemwide power failure” across Texas. There are no longer any rolling blackouts. Power generation plants have actually gone offline.
If you have no power, you may not have it back for a day or two. And if you have power, you still may lose it.
Conserve energy, and do everything you can to stay warm.
We will get through this, but it’s going to be a challenge. Hang in there, friends.
10:30AM UPDATE: Yes, this map is not accurate, but it’s the best we have right now. Mayor Turner just announced that CenterPoint now says around 750,000 of their customers (1/4 of their total) have no power.
If you have power, the best way to love on your fellow Texans is to CONSERVE, CONSERVE, CONSERVE! This is not the day to catch up on doing the laundry! Put the thermostat at 65 or lower. Your neighbors without power have indoor temperature closer to 50, and it’s only going to get COLDER tonight.Latest power info: https://abc13.com/weather/systemwide-power-failure-reported-during-winter-storm/10340431/
Tips to stay warm: https://abc13.com/no-electricity-here-are-some-tips-to-stay-warm/10341013/
Tom Skerritt
Footballguy
My BIL/SIL are in Austin. Been wo power since 2am. And their pipes are frozen, no running water. They do have a gas stove/cooktop. They are boiling snow for water.
Dumb question - Is the demand for electricity the biggest issue when it gets absurdly cold in southern states? Not trying to minimize anything, just thinking back to my comment about chuckling about the reaction to super cold weather by people living in the southern US. When I made that comment I was thinking about people driving on icy roads or just generally not having the proper attire for such conditions -- things that we're generally more prepared for here and which can probably be avoided simply by staying inside. But I didn't appreciate how the cold would cause such a huge surge in electricity use, and people wouldn't be able to heat their homes / businesses. So I'm just wondering if that's really the biggest safety issue or if there are other things that I wouldn't think about.
Binky The Doormat
Footballguy
sounds like they have a minimal amount of baseload contracts and have been living off of buying power at market prices in the spot/day market. Great when there is excess. Nasty introduction to real life market demand pricing. Sorry man - that sucks hard.So, I use a wholesale electric provider in Houston. Loved them. For the past 18 months or so my all in electricity price has been about $0.08 /kWh. Their ap let’s me see how much juice I’m using and the wholesale price I’m paying. I don’t normally check it and they are great at emailing with potential price surges predominately in the summer. So yeah it occasionally will spike to 25, 30, 35 cents per kWh so you watch your electric use during peak periods. Pretty simple stuff to help lower costs and level off demand.
Last Thursday I got an alert that with cold temperatures expect price surges. Ok no big deal. I’m at the office all day and we don’t use that much power during the day on a weekday so I don’t think much of it. Friday I get another email with price surges so I take a look at the ap and pricing is about $2.50/kWh. Wtf. From February 1st - 10th I average 30kwh per day and my daily price is about $0.75 per day. On Thursday my electric cost 22 bucks for the day. On Friday it was another 20 bucks for the day. I wake up Saturday morning and me price per kWh was $8.00
Thankfully my provider was able to switch out on Saturday. Wholesale electric cost is currently showing at $9 kWh and not expected to go below $7 for at least the next 12 hours.
Uwe Blab
Footballguy
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