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Author Topic: Rolling Blackouts in the South  (Read 1394 times)

W9IQ

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Rolling Blackouts in the South
« on: February 16, 2021, 07:53:16 AM »

The news is reporting:

The Southwest Power Pool has ordered member electric utilities in 14 states to start controlled rolling cutoffs of electric service because the demand for power in the region, driven upward by the bitter cold, is overwhelming the available generation, hampered by the storm.

This is a good reminder for all of us to have our emergency communications power sources ready for operation. We are already experiencing cell tower problems in the area, presumably due to cell tower generators failing to start or terrestrial microwave links hampered by the weather.

It also points to the challenges ahead for those that think we should all go to electric cars overnight...

- Glenn W9IQ
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- Glenn W9IQ

God runs electromagnetics on Monday, Wednesday and Friday by the wave theory and the devil runs it on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday by the Quantum theory.

VE3WGO

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Re: Rolling Blackouts in the South
« Reply #1 on: February 16, 2021, 08:04:32 AM »

Exactly.  OTOH, without power, gas stations cannot pump gas either.

Texas generates a lot of its power using wind farms.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_power_in_Texas

So, just when Texans need it most, these green solutions don't always work in bad weather.  And Covid vaccines are apparently at risk thawing out too in some health centers, rendering them useless, according to several news sources.  Can it be any worse?

Sometimes, the big picture needs to be looked at more closely:  populations affected by this severe storm system without power might encounter as much or more health problems (and deaths) than the smoke from decommissioned fossil fuel plants would have caused.  Of course the short-term thinkers would poopoo that statement without proof.

73, Ed

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KF5LJW

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Re: Rolling Blackouts in the South
« Reply #2 on: February 16, 2021, 08:07:35 AM »

The news is reporting:

This is a good reminder for all of us to have our emergency communications power sources ready for operation.

Now that is some real funny stuff Glen. Hams think they have better power backup and equipment than commercial operators. One thing is for sure, Texans are tired of shoveling global warming off the roads and driveways.
« Last Edit: February 16, 2021, 08:14:19 AM by KF5LJW »
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W9IQ

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Re: Rolling Blackouts in the South
« Reply #3 on: February 16, 2021, 08:13:37 AM »

You don't? I do.

- Glenn W9IQ
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- Glenn W9IQ

God runs electromagnetics on Monday, Wednesday and Friday by the wave theory and the devil runs it on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday by the Quantum theory.

VE3WGO

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Re: Rolling Blackouts in the South
« Reply #4 on: February 16, 2021, 08:39:58 AM »

Not really funny.  I agree it's a good idea too.

During a multi-day blackout some time ago my cellphone was intermittently displaying "No Service", as I drove around town looking for an open store to buy food (none found).  First time I had ever seen that message on my phone (other than my trip to the Arctic).

Car radio was my lifeline for information.  Several local repeaters were offline.  But I think I need to get a home generator.

73, Ed
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K1VSK

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Re: Rolling Blackouts in the South
« Reply #5 on: February 16, 2021, 08:45:30 AM »

Sometimes I cant help wonder what does through the mind of some hams - Most people affected by power outages in sub-freezing weather might be more concerned with important stuff like thinking about heat, cooking, food storage, limited transportation for medical services, etc... than their radio comm toys.
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K6AER

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Re: Rolling Blackouts in the South
« Reply #6 on: February 16, 2021, 08:57:37 AM »

The wind generators have frozen with ICE, the solar panels are covered with snow and as for roiling blackout that doesn't work as planed.

I have lived in the rust belt under roiling winter blackouts and folks will turn up their thermostats to 80 or higher so the house stays warm during the power shutdown. They start the generator for lights and when the power is back on, all heat devices on maxim. We have turned on the electric stove burners/oven and unplugged the dryer vent to the outside, in order to heat the house feaster. I am sure many have done this to survive a winter storm. Net effect is nothing is solved in electric demand with roiling blackout in a winter storm.

I live in New Mexico and I have never seen a power station in this state. I expect to see the power to disappear. With luck maybe my Electric Coop buys their electricity from Colorado which is used to winters instead of Texas.

Having been in this situation many times before. We have a 50 KW Generrac generator that runs on propane. With a thousand gallon tank for the house and generator we are ready. Now if I could unfreeze the water lines to the barn I would be all set.

Speaking of the horse barn, we have  a 4 month old Mustang colt. When it started to snow and got cold the colt gave me this look of, what the hell is this and I am gonna die!
« Last Edit: February 16, 2021, 09:02:15 AM by K6AER »
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KA1CNK

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Re: Rolling Blackouts in the South
« Reply #7 on: February 16, 2021, 08:59:15 AM »

I saw a similar comment online regarding the situation in Germany.  Apparently the leader for green energy in Europe currently has most of their solar panel covered with snow and there's no wind.
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K6AER

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Re: Rolling Blackouts in the South
« Reply #8 on: February 16, 2021, 09:33:07 AM »

I saw a similar comment online regarding the situation in Germany.  Apparently the leader for green energy in Europe currently has most of their solar panel covered with snow and there's no wind.

Put the wind generators in front of the podiums and they would have all the wind they need.
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KD6VXI

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Re: Rolling Blackouts in the South
« Reply #9 on: February 16, 2021, 09:34:36 AM »

It's funny to listen to people poo poo the wind generators.

Yes, some are having issues.  However, there is more power coming from wind, in Texas, than they allotted in their planning.

Meaning wind is over delivering in Texas, as of this morning.  And that factoid is born out by the consortium that controls the Texas grid stating as such.

I mean, it's not like they don't have wind generators sitting in the arctic areas north of great Britain and associated areas, huh?

--Shane
KD6VXI
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VA2DV

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Re: Rolling Blackouts in the South
« Reply #10 on: February 16, 2021, 09:41:25 AM »

Regarding clean power, we have plenty of surplus with our hydro-generated electricity here in QC.
Probably enough for a most of the north east and part of the rust belt.
The only problem is that the states just across the border don't want to see HV powerlines crossing the beautiful view of the mountains. Soooo, we sell it to some data centers et Bitcoins miners.
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NQ3M

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Re: Rolling Blackouts in the South
« Reply #11 on: February 16, 2021, 10:14:02 AM »

I think we would have been much father down the independent home road by now, had we had listened to Edison instead of Westinghouse. It's also interesting to listen to people talk about production & distribution yet you hardly ever hear them talk about efficient energy usage.
We have the ability to bring a home out of the ground with energy usage, comfort & safety as the main goals.  However sadly we always seem to allow other factors to influence the end product and control many parts of our lives, vs us controlling the end product from concept to completion. Sadly the easy way seems to be the human way. However up front costs are most always cheaper for life cycle vs back side.

Not being prepared for many of life's what if's, can be costly,  painful, or deadly depending the If.
One man has major investments in his own backup & redundant power systems, water & food stores. Another has a motor cycle, boat, camper, jet ski, & other toys. Both see the folly of the other, until the, If's, come calling. Depending on others to provide for your comfort & safety is an interesting train of thought to some.
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KG7LEA

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Re: Rolling Blackouts in the South
« Reply #12 on: February 16, 2021, 01:18:23 PM »

I think we would have been much father down the independent home road by now, had we had listened to Edison instead of Westinghouse.


We didn't have anything to do with it. The industrialists decided.
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KC6RWI

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Re: Rolling Blackouts in the South
« Reply #13 on: February 16, 2021, 01:51:18 PM »

The idea of having a solar system with batteries just to power the main refrigerator come to mind.
We have blackouts during the heat waves so its easy to spoil food.
I'd be a hero in the house if I could make a system big enough,
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W9IQ

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Re: Rolling Blackouts in the South
« Reply #14 on: February 16, 2021, 02:09:08 PM »

But the Westinghouse approach is superior.

- Glenn W9IQ
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- Glenn W9IQ

God runs electromagnetics on Monday, Wednesday and Friday by the wave theory and the devil runs it on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday by the Quantum theory.
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