Winter Storms, Summer Heat, and our 3rd World Electric System

Nashville was blasted for many days. Today is the first day above freezing, so now the broken pipes are showing up everywhere as the ice melts in the pipes. Thankfully, I scheduled a trip to the beach two days before it hit.
 
ERCOT should have been better prepared...those people should still be alive.

Oh, wait. We're hearing the other States ALSO have issues and that ERCOT did just fine.
It sounds like most of the deceased died on the roads.
 
Why didn't ERCOT make the roads warmer?!?
That's a brilliant suggestion.

ERCOT could construct solar panels and heaters along every road, with warming coils connected to them and running just beneath the surface of the roads. That should work--I couldn't see anything possibly going wrong. Pay for it with a 50% sales tax on all the items I don't like and don't buy anyway.

:beertoast: :popcorn: :yes: :tap:
 
That's a brilliant suggestion.

ERCOT could construct solar panels and heaters along every road, with warming coils connected to them and running just beneath the surface of the roads. That should work--I couldn't see anything possibly going wrong. Pay for it with a 50% sales tax on all the items I don't like and don't buy anyway.

:beertoast: :popcorn: :yes: :tap:

I actually pitched this idea for bridges in an engineering class in the 90's except not powered by solar since it wasn't yet a thing back then. Heating elements built into the concrete that could be turned on in icy conditions. I was told every reason why it wouldn't work, but I figure every problem is solvable.
 
I actually pitched this idea for bridges in an engineering class in the 90's except not powered by solar since it wasn't yet a thing back then. Heating elements built into the concrete that could be turned on in icy conditions. I was told every reason why it wouldn't work, but I figure every problem is solvable.
They have heated driveways now. Not sure if bridge mechanical forces make it impossible.
 
They have heated driveways now. Not sure if bridge mechanical forces make it impossible.

I don't remember the official answer but it was something about degredation of structural materials over time causing safety issues. specifically with the concrete. I thought that problem could be solved, but I didn't have that kind of edumacation to solve that so I gave up. Now I wish I didn't because I'd be cashing checks every day instead of working my arse off.

Darn Vol. Way to think out of the box over 20 YEARS ago.:headbang::clap::headbang:
Very impressed.

Thanks! It was in the early 90's so over 30 years ago. :smile1:
 
They have heated driveways now. Not sure if bridge mechanical forces make it impossible.

A dude from Michigan just told me that last week when we were freezing in Austin. Also, I think Aspen has heated sidewalks for all those poor skiers in town. I forget who told me that (senior moment), but I didn't experience it first hand.
 
Gas bills are a bit on the high side lately (more than a typical Winter--even colder Winters than this one).
 
Former ERCOT CEO: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Pressed Grid Operator To Keep Prices At $9,000 Per Megawatt-Hour During Crisis

Old news, but more info:

"In the annals of awful electric grid management, the decision to keep the wholesale price for electricity on the ERCOT market at $9,000 per megawatt-hour – and leave it there for three days longer than needed – during the electricity crisis that slammed Texas a year ago, will go down as one of the worst.

Who made that decision? In testimony in a federal bankruptcy court in Houston, former ERCOT CEO Bill Magness pointed the finger at Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. The testimony was made in the bankruptcy trial of Waco-based Brazos Electric Cooperative, which is challenging $1.9 billion in costs it incurred during the crisis that forced it into Chapter 11."
 
Former ERCOT CEO: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Pressed Grid Operator To Keep Prices At $9,000 Per Megawatt-Hour During Crisis

Old news, but more info:

"In the annals of awful electric grid management, the decision to keep the wholesale price for electricity on the ERCOT market at $9,000 per megawatt-hour – and leave it there for three days longer than needed – during the electricity crisis that slammed Texas a year ago, will go down as one of the worst.

Who made that decision? In testimony in a federal bankruptcy court in Houston, former ERCOT CEO Bill Magness pointed the finger at Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. The testimony was made in the bankruptcy trial of Waco-based Brazos Electric Cooperative, which is challenging $1.9 billion in costs it incurred during the crisis that forced it into Chapter 11."

This is another example of how socialism/central planning doesn't work. Our electrical power industry is basically nationalized. It is also antiquated and under funded, except for worthless wind and solar projects.
 
A dude from Michigan just told me that last week when we were freezing in Austin. Also, I think Aspen has heated sidewalks for all those poor skiers in town. I forget who told me that (senior moment), but I didn't experience it first hand.
I’ve been going to Aspen since ‘67 and have lived there on and off over the decades. There are no such public sidewalks…some private properties have it…IMHO one might never listen to the dudes from Michigan. :puke:
 
I’ve been going to Aspen since ‘67 and have lived there on and off over the decades. There are no such public sidewalks…some private properties have it…IMHO one might never listen to the dudes from Michigan. :puke:

Ha. To be clear, the Michigan guy only told me about the driveways in Michigan. It was another source that informed me on the Aspen sideways. See

8 Things to Know Before You Go to Aspen - The Points Guy

"You'll find heated sidewalks here and there around Aspen..."
 
Ha. To be clear, the Michigan guy only told me about the driveways in Michigan. It was another source that informed me on the Aspen sideways. See

8 Things to Know Before You Go to Aspen - The Points Guy

"You'll find heated sidewalks here and there around Aspen..."
I was wrong then..these sidewalks didn’t exist until recently. I quit going to Aspen once the Californians took over around 2014. Bozeman, Jackson mo betta
 
Over 1.5 million Texans without power due to Hurricane Beryl. Why can't Republicans make power lines that can withstand hurricanes?!! /s
 
I’ve been going to Aspen since ‘67 and have lived there on and off over the decades. There are no such public sidewalks…some private properties have it…IMHO one might never listen to the dudes from Michigan. :puke:
A dude from Michigan once told me that Schaefer beer was good and that chicks with big a$$es were the most attractive.
 
Over 1.5 million Texans without power due to Hurricane Beryl. Why can't Republicans make power lines that can withstand hurricanes?!! /s
Hope they get their power restored soon. I remember what it was like and it's no fun.
 
Over 1.5 million Texans without power due to Hurricane Beryl. Why can't Republicans make power lines that can withstand hurricanes?!! /s

Center Point Energy has around $4 BILLION in infrastructure that needs to fixed, but they would rather pay dividends. When Ike hit, I was without power for 13 days. Last month for 5 days. My kids live less than two miles from me (one east; one West), and neither have power today. Son has no cell service either. I lost power about 4-5 times last night, TV a dozen times, but kept cell.

Don definitely knew what he was doing when he spun Center Point off.
 
Entergy not much better. ALL of the Woodlands without power except the hospital district. Note Woodlands has underground power lines. This shouldn’t be happening. Apparently the transmission lines from the plants on Lake Conroe are down in hard to reach swampy areas.
 
George Mitchell was an Aggie, who never acted like an Aggie, and one of the smartest people I ever dealt with. I think when we were without power last month for 3-5 days, The Woodlands still had power.
 

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