{"id":281815,"date":"2023-10-04T12:34:14","date_gmt":"2023-10-04T10:34:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=281815"},"modified":"2023-10-04T12:34:17","modified_gmt":"2023-10-04T10:34:17","slug":"ercot-readies-retired-gas-generation-for-the-2023-24-winter-peak","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=281815","title":{"rendered":"ERCOT Readies \u2018Retired\u2019 Gas Generation for the 2023\/24 Winter Peak"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"
texas-blackout<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From \u00a0Master Resource<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Ed Ireland<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201cMuch of the generation named by ERCOT as qualified under their latest RFP is generation units that were recently retired, many because they could not compete with the artificially low prices that heavily subsidized wind and solar can offer, so they are still operational.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas<\/a> (ERCOT), the planning agency for 90% of the state\u2019s grid, has a wind\/solar tiger by the tail. As the agency does not exchange power with its out-of-state neighbors to avoid federal (FERC) jurisdiction, it is looking at home for able, firm generation that wind and solar unfairly (via government intervention) put out of operation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Background<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ERCOT is (in)famous because its grid almost collapsed during Winter Storm Uri in February 2021. The Texas electricity grid had lost so many generators due to the storm that it was only 4 minutes and 37 seconds from collapsing<\/a>, which would have required a restart from a \u201cblack start.\u201d That would have left the Lone Star State without electricity for eight days or longer. ERCOT instituted emergency measures, including rolling blackouts, that saved the grid and its integrity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As it was<\/a>, hundreds of cold-related deaths and ruined lives and property otherwise represented the worst electricity (and energy) debacle in American history. Tens of billions of dollars of disputed power payments are working their way through the courts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The state of Texas and ERCOT never want to be in that situation again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The summer of 2023 pushed the ERCOT grid close to rolling blackouts on many evenings around 8 PM in July and August as the sun set and the wind stopped blowing, resulting in no solar power and little or no wind power<\/a>. These situations occurred on many evenings during July, August, and September\u2014with September 6, 2023, pushing the grid to a Level 2 emergency, which gave ERCOT additional resources to stabilize the grid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Winter Preparations<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

To avoid more emergencies, ERCOT issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) to secure backup generation for the 2023-2024 winter. The RFP for \u201cFirm Fuel Supply Service\u201d would be for on-demand power generation from November 15, 2023, to March 15, 2024 with a due date of September 1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ERCOT received proposals from five Qualified Scheduling Entities. QSEs <\/a>are pre-qualified power wholesalers who buy and sell electricity on the wholesale market and act as intermediaries between individual independent generators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The five QSEs that responded offered 32 different generating stations that could provide guaranteed backup power whenever ERCOT calls for it:<\/p>\n\n\n\n