Wind Power Failing In Texas As Power Grid Pushed To Brink Of Collapse

Wind power FAILING in Texas as power grid pushed to brink of collapse

Ethan Huff

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) has issued a Conservation Appeal calling on households and businesses throughout the state to voluntarily turn off their power to avoid a statewide blackout.

The Lone Star State’s embrace of “green” energy wind and solar farms is contributing to the downfall of the state’s electrical grid, which is fast becoming one of the most unreliable in the nation. (Related: Remember when Texas experienced freezing blackoutsback in early 2021?)

Since 2008, ERCOT has had to deploy its Conservation Appeal more than 48 times to “manage grid operations.” The notification is issued, the group says, whenever projected energy reserves are expected to fall below 2300 MW (megawatts) for 30 minutes or more.

“With extreme hot weather driving record power demand across Texas, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) is issuing a Conservation Appeal, asking Texans and Texas businesses to voluntarily conserve electricity, Monday, July 11 between 2-8 p.m. ERCOT also issued a Watch for a projected reserve capacity shortage from 2-8 p.m. At this time, no system-wide outages are expected,” ERCOT announced.

“Low wind,” ERCOT says, is to blame for failing Texas grid

In Texas, it is not exactly possible to turn off the power completely during the blazing summer months, but ERCOT is suggesting that households and businesses turn up the thermostat and avoid using unnecessary appliances during peak hours.

ERCOT claims it is doing everything possible to avoid a total grid collapse, but is now having to call on the people of Texas to reduce their standard of living to avoid another potential blackout situation.

“The heat wave that has settled on Texas and much of the central United States is driving increased electric use,” ERCOT says. “Other grid operators are operating under similar conservative operations programs as ERCOT due to the heatwave.”

As for the low wind situation, ERCOT says that energy generation from the state’s many turbines are “generating significantly less” than the amount they normally generate during this time period.

“Current projections show wind generation coming in less than 10 percent of its capacity,” the group says.

Unlike coal and gas, which are reliable and abundant sources of energy, wind turbines rely on a fluctuating weather event that at times does not occur as it is supposed to. Consequently, Texans could end up in the dark in the coming weeks.