Texas Power Grid Collapse 2021

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Blackhawk
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Re: Texas Power Grid Collapse 2021

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stessier wrote: Wed Feb 17, 2021 12:59 pm
Blackhawk wrote: Wed Feb 17, 2021 12:56 pm
Little Raven wrote: Wed Feb 17, 2021 12:46 pm
Blackhawk wrote: Wed Feb 17, 2021 12:44 pmUnless I seriously misunderstand how smart meters work (I've never seen one), when energy demand suddenly spikes, how many people are going to be checking their meter/rate every hour?
People like my wife. (crazy people)

Many (most?) people do not. My wife had to call her sister to remind her that she had a variable rate plan and her current rate was INSANELY high, so for the love of god turn off everything you don't absolutely need.

Which kills the plan. Now maybe if they made a free app (that actually worked) that showed rates in real time and threw up a notification if it ever went over X (or just had green/yellow/red status), they might make a dent.
I don't think you understand the guiding principle is "personal responsibility". (only half snark)
I absolutely do, and I'm a big believer in it. But when you're basing your crisis response plan on it you have to balance it with 'human nature.'

You can't rely on people being smart or conscientious as a way to handle a crisis. See also: 2020.
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stessier
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Re: Texas Power Grid Collapse 2021

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Blackhawk wrote: Wed Feb 17, 2021 1:02 pm
stessier wrote: Wed Feb 17, 2021 12:59 pm
Blackhawk wrote: Wed Feb 17, 2021 12:56 pm
Little Raven wrote: Wed Feb 17, 2021 12:46 pm
Blackhawk wrote: Wed Feb 17, 2021 12:44 pmUnless I seriously misunderstand how smart meters work (I've never seen one), when energy demand suddenly spikes, how many people are going to be checking their meter/rate every hour?
People like my wife. (crazy people)

Many (most?) people do not. My wife had to call her sister to remind her that she had a variable rate plan and her current rate was INSANELY high, so for the love of god turn off everything you don't absolutely need.

Which kills the plan. Now maybe if they made a free app (that actually worked) that showed rates in real time and threw up a notification if it ever went over X (or just had green/yellow/red status), they might make a dent.
I don't think you understand the guiding principle is "personal responsibility". (only half snark)
I absolutely do, and I'm a big believer in it. But when you're basing your crisis response plan on it you have to balance it with 'human nature.'

You can't rely on people being smart or conscientious as a way to handle a crisis. See also: 2020.
I misunderstood, I think. I thought the talk was about avoiding the big bills. It seems you were talking about the plan to actually save the grid.

FWIW, I think your app idea is way better than whatever they have going on right now (he says without knowing what they have going on right now).
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Re: Texas Power Grid Collapse 2021

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stessier wrote: Wed Feb 17, 2021 1:14 pm

I misunderstood, I think. I thought the talk was about avoiding the big bills. It seems you were talking about the plan to actually save the grid.

FWIW, I think your app idea is way better than whatever they have going on right now (he says without knowing what they have going on right now).
It got lost in quote stacking. The original comment, from a NYT article,
Mr. Hogan, a professor of global energy policy at Harvard’s Kennedy School, acknowledged that while many Texans have struggled this week without heat and electricity, the state’s energy market has functioned as it was designed.

That design relies on basic economics: When electricity demand increases, so too does the price for power. The higher prices force consumers to reduce energy use to prevent cascading failures of power plants that could leave the entire state in the dark, while encouraging power plants to generate more electricity.

“It’s not convenient,” Professor Hogan said. “It’s not nice. It’s necessary.”

Still, the rules of economics offered little comfort for Andrea Ramos after the lights went out in her home in Austin around 2 a.m. on Monday.
They're trying to avoid power failures with measures that rely on the general public being informed and proactive.
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Re: Texas Power Grid Collapse 2021

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Wow that sounds very familiar.

Our Guv refused to implement any kind of restrictions re: Covid for a LONG time after we knew it was a problem, and spreading fast. More of that personal responsibility, and trust that “the great people of the great state of South Carolina” will do the right things (wear masks, wash hands, distance, stay gone, etc). That’s almost a literal quote.

Result? We have the honor of one of our largest metro areas being dubbed ‘most dangerous place in the US to live wrt CoVid’ (Greenville).
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Re: Texas Power Grid Collapse 2021

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Carpet_pissr wrote: Wed Feb 17, 2021 1:37 pm Result? We have the honor of one of our largest metro areas being dubbed ‘most dangerous place in the US to live wrt CoVid’ (Greenville).
Thank you, thank you, thank you. We really couldn't have done it had we been lazy and stayed at home.
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Re: Texas Power Grid Collapse 2021

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stessier wrote: Wed Feb 17, 2021 2:12 pm
Carpet_pissr wrote: Wed Feb 17, 2021 1:37 pm Result? We have the honor of one of our largest metro areas being dubbed ‘most dangerous place in the US to live wrt CoVid’ (Greenville).
Thank you, thank you, thank you. We really couldn't have done it had we been lazy and stayed at home.
Don't be modest. If Greenville is the most dangerous place in the U.S. wrt Covid, isn't it by definition at least in the running to be one of the most dangerous places in the world?
Black Lives Matter.
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Re: Texas Power Grid Collapse 2021

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Carpet_pissr wrote: Wed Feb 17, 2021 1:37 pm Result? We have the honor of one of our largest metro areas being dubbed ‘most dangerous place in the US to live wrt CoVid’ (Greenville).
I guess I need to remove your community from my class. :cry:
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Re: Texas Power Grid Collapse 2021

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Blackhawk wrote: Wed Feb 17, 2021 1:29 pm
stessier wrote: Wed Feb 17, 2021 1:14 pm

I misunderstood, I think. I thought the talk was about avoiding the big bills. It seems you were talking about the plan to actually save the grid.

FWIW, I think your app idea is way better than whatever they have going on right now (he says without knowing what they have going on right now).
It got lost in quote stacking. The original comment, from a NYT article,
Mr. Hogan, a professor of global energy policy at Harvard’s Kennedy School, acknowledged that while many Texans have struggled this week without heat and electricity, the state’s energy market has functioned as it was designed.

That design relies on basic economics: When electricity demand increases, so too does the price for power. The higher prices force consumers to reduce energy use to prevent cascading failures of power plants that could leave the entire state in the dark, while encouraging power plants to generate more electricity.

“It’s not convenient,” Professor Hogan said. “It’s not nice. It’s necessary.”

Still, the rules of economics offered little comfort for Andrea Ramos after the lights went out in her home in Austin around 2 a.m. on Monday.
They're trying to avoid power failures with measures that rely on the general public being informed and proactive.
And valuing money over staying warm enough to not freeze to death.
Black Lives definitely Matter Lorini!

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Re: Texas Power Grid Collapse 2021

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Smoove_B wrote: Wed Feb 17, 2021 2:43 pm
Carpet_pissr wrote: Wed Feb 17, 2021 1:37 pm Result? We have the honor of one of our largest metro areas being dubbed ‘most dangerous place in the US to live wrt CoVid’ (Greenville).
I guess I need to remove your community from my class. :cry:
What's left of us is going to be really nice in 12-ish months!
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Re: Texas Power Grid Collapse 2021

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Blackhawk wrote:
stessier wrote: Wed Feb 17, 2021 1:14 pm

I misunderstood, I think. I thought the talk was about avoiding the big bills. It seems you were talking about the plan to actually save the grid.

FWIW, I think your app idea is way better than whatever they have going on right now (he says without knowing what they have going on right now).
It got lost in quote stacking. The original comment, from a NYT article,
Mr. Hogan, a professor of global energy policy at Harvard’s Kennedy School, acknowledged that while many Texans have struggled this week without heat and electricity, the state’s energy market has functioned as it was designed.

That design relies on basic economics: When electricity demand increases, so too does the price for power. The higher prices force consumers to reduce energy use to prevent cascading failures of power plants that could leave the entire state in the dark, while encouraging power plants to generate more electricity.

“It’s not convenient,” Professor Hogan said. “It’s not nice. It’s necessary.”

Still, the rules of economics offered little comfort for Andrea Ramos after the lights went out in her home in Austin around 2 a.m. on Monday.
They're trying to avoid power failures with measures that rely on the general public being informed and proactive.
Hey, Texas is the state of "personal responsibility" vs Socialist paternalism. Think on that as you burn your Cowboys shirts to keep warm....
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Re: Texas Power Grid Collapse 2021

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And Texas is reaping the benefits of that unchecked freedom as a we speak. Er, write.
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malchior
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Re: Texas Power Grid Collapse 2021

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$iljanus wrote: Wed Feb 17, 2021 3:52 pmHey, Texas is the state of "personal responsibility" vs Socialist paternalism. Think on that as you burn your Cowboys shirts to keep warm....
Funny enough one expert likens ERCOT to a Soviet-style purchasing bureau. What Hirs is talking about aligns with my experience working for a power generation company that served ERCOT. Operating competitiveness was achieved by keeping plants offline to keep the price from cratering. It wasn't market manipulation in an Enron sense. It was because the system incentivized that behavior.
The problems causing millions of customers to go more than 24 hours without power during some of the coldest days on record can’t be blamed on issues like wind turbines freezing, said Ed Hirs, a University of Houston Energy Fellow and professor of energy economics.

Instead, they have everything to do with how the system is structured in Texas, Hirs said.

“In the state’s enthusiasm for deregulating the electric market, the legislature and then-Gov. George Bush re-created an old-style Soviet Union purchasing bureau, called ERCOT,” Hirs said.

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, or ERCOT, is charged with overseeing the state’s power grid. Texas receives most of its power via the Texas Interconnection, a power grid separate from the rest of the country.

...

“We must cut through the finger-pointing and hear directly from stakeholders about the factors that contributed to generation staying down at a time when families needed it most,” Phelan said.

Hirs, meanwhile, audibly laughed when asked when he thought the system might return to normal.

Texas’ power grid for years has suffered because generators that were unable to earn a return on capital went offline, and there was little incentive to reinvest and keep equipment in good working condition, Hirs said.

“They’ve structured everything the wrong way, and it’s come home to roost,” Hirs said.

Even now, there’s every incentive for generators to hold back on power because they make more during emergencies, Hirs said.

“Why would you put all your generation capacity online, available to the grid, if you’re only going to get a lower price?” Hirs said.
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Re: Texas Power Grid Collapse 2021

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Perry says Texans willing to suffer blackouts to keep feds out of power market

I wonder if he doesn't have power? Ah those left leaning and their 'radical proposals' "We'd like you to stay warm and survive."..Texas...Get away from us Satan! SATAN!
Former Texas governor Rick Perry suggests that going days without power is a sacrifice Texans should be willing to make if it means keeping federal regulators out of the state’s power grid.

In a blog posted on House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy's website, Perry is quoted responding to the claim that “those watching on the left may see the situation in Texas as an opportunity to expand their top-down, radical proposals.”

“Texans would be without electricity for longer than three days to keep the federal government out of their business,” Perry is quoted as saying. “Try not to let whatever the crisis of the day is take your eye off of having a resilient grid that keeps America safe personally, economically, and strategically.”
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Re: Texas Power Grid Collapse 2021

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I'm willing to bet that his house is nice and warm.

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Re: Texas Power Grid Collapse 2021

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“Try not to let whatever the crisis of the day is take your eye off of having a resilient grid that keeps America safe personally, economically, and strategically.”
:shock: OK Texans, are you feeling/believing/thinking your grid is resilient, keeping America safe personally, economically, and strategically? Cause from an ignorant Great Lakes northerner, that's not what I'm seeing reported. I'm seeing reports of people dying from cold and carbon monoxide poisoning and housing damage from houses that weren't built to withstand power outages in winter conditions.

Oh, and I'm also seeing manufacturing and service industry being shut down due closures of "the economy" in Texas. From auto to TD Ameritrade notifications, to my parts of my own company.
Market activity and power outages in parts of the country have led to longer than expected phone wait and processing times. Visit our Help Center for ways you can self-service.
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Re: Texas Power Grid Collapse 2021

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"those watching on the left may see the situation in Texas as an opportunity to expand their top-down, radical proposals.”
If wanting Americans to have reliable connections to a power grid makes me a leftist radical, I guess I'm a card-carrying member now. JFC, can we get a news crew out there to ask people how they feel about this statement? That this is a reasonable alternative to having a connected grid?
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Re: Texas Power Grid Collapse 2021

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Wow:

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Re: Texas Power Grid Collapse 2021

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No. No. Former Secretary of Energy Perry is right. Keeping FERC - which used to be in his portfolio - at bay means they aren't living under socialist tyranny like the other 49 states.
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Re: Texas Power Grid Collapse 2021

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I for one am grateful that Perry made this point. I don't think Democrats could frame the issue better if they tried.
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Re: Texas Power Grid Collapse 2021

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El Guapo wrote: Wed Feb 17, 2021 6:22 pm I for one am grateful that Perry made this point. I don't think Democrats could frame the issue better if they tried.
Or anyone who works in IT or Manufacturing whose primary buzz word has been resiliency ever since March 2020. It's like Perry chose that buzz word to demonstrate exactly what resiliency isn't both for the grid and for all of the things that it shut down with it, including actual lives. But again, maybe I'm just sitting from a position of ignorance and the news isn't reporting reality.
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Re: Texas Power Grid Collapse 2021

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LordMortis wrote: Wed Feb 17, 2021 5:46 pm :shock: OK Texans, are you feeling/believing/thinking your grid is resilient, keeping America safe personally, economically, and strategically?
Our grid is designed for our climate. It generally functions quite well. It is certainly struggling under a very rare weather event, but then, most grids struggle under conditions they were not designed for.

I do suspect that there will be some regulatory changes that come from this, but let's be clear - this is a natural disaster, not really any different from a hurricane or an earthquake. Most places struggle when natural disaster strikes.
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Re: Texas Power Grid Collapse 2021

Post by malchior »

Little Raven wrote: Wed Feb 17, 2021 7:11 pm
LordMortis wrote: Wed Feb 17, 2021 5:46 pm :shock: OK Texans, are you feeling/believing/thinking your grid is resilient, keeping America safe personally, economically, and strategically?
Our grid is designed for our climate. It generally functions quite well. It is certainly struggling under a very rare weather event, but then, most grids struggle under conditions they were not designed for.

I do suspect that there will be some regulatory changes that come from this, but let's be clear - this is a natural disaster, not really any different from a hurricane or an earthquake. Most places struggle when natural disaster strikes.
I used to work in your state in this sector. I dealt with regulatory agencies in multiple states and I'm telling you this is a drastically oversimplified take. I saw the significant difference reliability played in regulator oversight between everywhere else and Texas. While Texas indeed had an unusual spate of weather for your climate, it exposed all the gaps in the design of the market that many of us knew existed. This happened at smaller scale under 10 years ago in ERCOT. And if they don't make significant regulatory changes this will happen again.
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Re: Texas Power Grid Collapse 2021

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Little Raven wrote: Wed Feb 17, 2021 7:11 pm Our grid is designed for our climate. It generally functions quite well. It is certainly struggling under a very rare weather event, but then, most grids struggle under conditions they were not designed for.
That's why the defining characteristic of being resilient stuck in my craw. If DTE told me a two day power outage was a testament to the resiliency of my energy provision I'd be furious.
malchior wrote: Wed Feb 17, 2021 7:21 pm I used to work in your state in this sector. I dealt with regulatory agencies in multiple states and I'm telling you this is a drastically oversimplified take. I saw the significant difference reliability played in regulator oversight between everywhere else and Texas. While Texas indeed had an unusual spate of weather for your climate, it exposed all the gaps in the design of the market that many of us knew existed. This happened at smaller scale under 10 years ago in ERCOT. And if they don't make significant regulatory changes this will happen again.
I don't remember the power outage but I do remember the weather. I remember we took up drives to send winter coats to southern Texas and Northern Mexico. That's sadly, not going to happen (or hasn't happened I should say because response was instant at the time), work isolation has really.... isolated us...
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Re: Texas Power Grid Collapse 2021

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I do suspect that there will be some regulatory changes that come from this, but let's be clear - this is a natural disaster, not really any different from a hurricane or an earthquake. Most places struggle when natural disaster strikes.
I think this will happen more as climate change increases no matter how much Texas ignores it. Its as if GOP leaders want to thin their populations.
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Re: Texas Power Grid Collapse 2021

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malchior wrote: Wed Feb 17, 2021 7:21 pmWhile Texas indeed had an unusual spate of weather for your climate, it exposed all the gaps in the design of the market that many of us knew existed. This happened at smaller scale under 10 years ago in ERCOT. And if they don't make significant regulatory changes this will happen again.
Yes. Anyone who pays attention knows these gaps exist. We also know how much it would cost to fix them. So far, the cost benefit analysis has favored keeping them in.

Perhaps this event will change that. Perhaps not. People very much enjoy low energy bills, even when made aware of the risks.
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Re: Texas Power Grid Collapse 2021

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LordMortis wrote: Wed Feb 17, 2021 7:23 pmThat's why the defining characteristic of being resilient stuck in my craw. If DTE told me a two day power outage was a testament to the resiliency of my energy provision I'd be furious.
I'm too cold to be furious.
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Re: Texas Power Grid Collapse 2021

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Little Raven wrote: Wed Feb 17, 2021 7:11 pm let's be clear - this is a natural disaster, not really any different from a hurricane or an earthquake. Most places struggle when natural disaster strikes.
There's a movement in the emergency preparedness elements of my field to stop calling these things natural disasters because it makes it sound like humans are completely powerless and unable to address them in any way. By labeling something like Sandy as a "natural disaster" it suggests all the events that unfolded can't be helped; there was nothing that could be done. Similarly, what' happening in TX right now isn't a result of nature doing something that humans had no ability to be prepared for. And to be clear, I'm not talking about TX residents. I'm talking about elected officials. Rare? Absolutely. But when people point out vulnerabilities in infrastructure and elected officials reaffirm their commitment to ignore guidance, that's not a natural disaster.

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Re: Texas Power Grid Collapse 2021

Post by malchior »

Little Raven wrote: Wed Feb 17, 2021 7:28 pm
malchior wrote: Wed Feb 17, 2021 7:21 pmWhile Texas indeed had an unusual spate of weather for your climate, it exposed all the gaps in the design of the market that many of us knew existed. This happened at smaller scale under 10 years ago in ERCOT. And if they don't make significant regulatory changes this will happen again.
Yes. Anyone who pays attention knows these gaps exist.
Are you really sure about that. They are yelling about wind turbines and solar. Not the fact that super low prices have essentially stopped investment in increasing base load for...pretty much this century. Instead the regulatory regime incentivizes utilities focusing on extracting peak load rates in the summer. A jet turbine peaker that returns 17% ROI!? Sign me up. Increasing base load that'll make steady money year round year after year. Nah. Too risky. I can remember when they pulled the plug on the STP 2 expansion because the ROI was only 10%.
Perhaps this event will change that. Perhaps not. People very much enjoy low energy bills, even when made aware of the risks.
Fair enough.
Smoove_B wrote: Wed Feb 17, 2021 7:35 pm
Little Raven wrote: Wed Feb 17, 2021 7:11 pm let's be clear - this is a natural disaster, not really any different from a hurricane or an earthquake. Most places struggle when natural disaster strikes.
There's a movement in the emergency preparedness elements of my field to stop calling these things natural disasters because it makes it sound like humans are completely powerless and unable to address them in any way. By labeling something like Sandy as a "natural disaster" it suggests all the events that unfolded can't be helped; there was nothing that could be done. Similarly, what' happening in TX right now isn't a result of nature doing something that humans had no ability to be prepared for. And to be clear, I'm not talking about TX residents. I'm talking about elected officials. Rare? Absolutely. But when people point out vulnerabilities in infrastructure and elected officials reaffirm their commitment to ignore guidance, that's not a natural disaster.
I can't agree more. Maybe they couldn't have prevented the totality of the outage. That they have a persistent threat to human safety occurring, the experts are saying we told you so, the elected leaders are simply lying to excuse it, and people are saying, 'well we love low prices' when the burden falls on disadvantaged people? Fuck that.
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Re: Texas Power Grid Collapse 2021

Post by $iljanus »

In the thickest Texas drawl I can muster...

Wellll I hear all this talk about “reliability”. You know what other word begins with R? “Regulation”. And after R comes the “S” that is “Socialism”. Now stand strong like those brave souls did at the Alamo!
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Re: Texas Power Grid Collapse 2021

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But they all...nm.
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Re: Texas Power Grid Collapse 2021

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malchior wrote: Wed Feb 17, 2021 7:37 pmAre you really sure about that. They are yelling about wind turbines and solar.
I don't consider people who only watch Fox News to be paying attention.

But the state of the Texas energy grid isn't secret. You knew about it years ago. Anyone who lived in the state in 2011 learned about it then. There's no conspiracy here - people are just voting with their wallets year after year.
There's a movement in the emergency preparedness elements of my field to stop calling these things natural disasters because it makes it sound like humans are completely powerless and unable to address them in any way.
What the new nomenclature?
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Re: Texas Power Grid Collapse 2021

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Little Raven wrote: Wed Feb 17, 2021 7:53 pm
There's a movement in the emergency preparedness elements of my field to stop calling these things natural disasters because it makes it sound like humans are completely powerless and unable to address them in any way.
What the new nomenclature?
Instead of "Acts of God," it should be "Acts of Exxon."
Much prefer my Nazis Nuremberged.
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LordMortis
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Re: Texas Power Grid Collapse 2021

Post by LordMortis »

Smoove_B wrote: Wed Feb 17, 2021 7:35 pm There's a movement in the emergency preparedness elements of my field to stop calling these things natural disasters because it makes it sound like humans are completely powerless and unable to address them in any way. By labeling something like Sandy as a "natural disaster" it suggests all the events that unfolded can't be helped; there was nothing that could be done. Similarly, what' happening in TX right now isn't a result of nature doing something that humans had no ability to be prepared for. And to be clear, I'm not talking about TX residents. I'm talking about elected officials. Rare? Absolutely. But when people point out vulnerabilities in infrastructure and elected officials reaffirm their commitment to ignore guidance, that's not a natural disaster.
The movement in my industries (manufacturing and IT) is called a movement toward, get this... resiliency... And it has become the buzz word since March of 2020. When absolutely everything hits the fan and in a way you didn't prepare for, how do you keep going? How do you continue to provide service/parts.
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Alefroth
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Re: Texas Power Grid Collapse 2021

Post by Alefroth »

Carpet_pissr wrote: Wed Feb 17, 2021 10:48 am Unless I’m very wrong, the Green New Deal that Abbott and Fox are blaming this on, is not even law, correct?
And who in the world would believe Texas would have adopted it? Or are they admitting they are powerless against AOC?
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Smoove_B
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Re: Texas Power Grid Collapse 2021

Post by Smoove_B »

Little Raven wrote: Wed Feb 17, 2021 7:53 pmWhat the new nomenclature?
I'm not sure there's a specific replacement. Instead the idea is to remove the "natural" element and reinforce the idea that disasters are impacted by human decisions.
Maybe next year, maybe no go
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Little Raven
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Re: Texas Power Grid Collapse 2021

Post by Little Raven »

So it's just a disaster?
/. "She climbed backwards out her
\/ window into Outside Over There."
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Smoove_B
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Re: Texas Power Grid Collapse 2021

Post by Smoove_B »

LordMortis wrote: Wed Feb 17, 2021 7:58 pm The movement in my industries (manufacturing and IT) is called a movement toward, get this... resiliency... And it has become the buzz word since March of 2020. When absolutely everything hits the fan and in a way you didn't prepare for, how do you keep going? How do you continue to provide service/parts.
That's not a bad take and there is some emergency preparedness/response material that uses resiliency. Broadly my field is trying "social capital", but it's a bit academic (though accurate), however it's not something specific to emergencies but it is (broadly) related to the idea of being able to respond to a community-level problem.
Maybe next year, maybe no go
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Smoove_B
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Re: Texas Power Grid Collapse 2021

Post by Smoove_B »

Little Raven wrote: Wed Feb 17, 2021 9:01 pm So it's just a disaster?
That would be my understanding, yes. "Texas is currently experiencing a weather-related disaster." Then depending on how you'd want the rest of the conversation to go, "And this disaster was made worse by the poor decisions made by the governor, legislators and energy regulators."

Again, the emergency preparedness wing is subset of my field and they've been trying this now for a few years. I don't disagree with it, but it's going to take al long time to change the language here. A long time.
Maybe next year, maybe no go
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Little Raven
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Re: Texas Power Grid Collapse 2021

Post by Little Raven »

That's fine. I just want to make sure I use the proper language going forward.
/. "She climbed backwards out her
\/ window into Outside Over There."
malchior
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Re: Texas Power Grid Collapse 2021

Post by malchior »

In my field a lack of resilience is often a consequence of poor risk management. Some risks are truly black swan and you can't foresee them but can prepare generally for them. Others like this one have happened before (twice to some degree within the last 10 years). You can't say that this specific risk is unknown. They knew the risk, decided to accept the risk on behalf of their constituents, and I 100% do not believe that anyone well-informed knew that in exchange for lower electricity bills they were signing up for mass rolling outages that killed people. That is a ludicrous assertion.

The leadership in particular should be pilloried for not preparing for this when they knew the storm was coming. They didn't prepare adequately for it and didn't communicate the risk. They also didn't course correct after the last series of winter related failures. 10 years is enough time to figure out how to steer the country's biggest individual energy market towards a more resilient path. The choice not to was deliberate.
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