2021-03-14, 18:00:39
The video glosses over a central issue of the Texas disaster: ERCOT is a smallish (80,000 MW), isolated grid with only low capacity interties to the huge neighboring grids (Eastern Interconnection: 700,000 MW, Western Interconnection: 270,000 MW). It's that way because the fiercely independent Texans wanted no part of meddling by the Feds or other states in their electricity supply. ERCOT is vulnerable to loss of internal generating capacity because little generation help can be provided from outside Texas. "Tres Amigas" is a 5000 MW HVDC tie system proposed in 2009 to connect E.I., W.I. & ERCOT. It has become bogged down in politics, nothing has been built yet, and it may never transfer a single MW.
Backup Power:
Marvin mentioned cellphone batteries dying in his presentation. A simple solution is a solar charger. At our last Xmas lunch, two people took chargers home as door prizes. I got a real good deal on them from an electronics parts & surplus store in Arizona. If there's interest among club members, I can watch for them to get marked down again & do a bulk purchase.
My 2 ¢
Dave, VE3WI
Backup Power:
Marvin mentioned cellphone batteries dying in his presentation. A simple solution is a solar charger. At our last Xmas lunch, two people took chargers home as door prizes. I got a real good deal on them from an electronics parts & surplus store in Arizona. If there's interest among club members, I can watch for them to get marked down again & do a bulk purchase.
My 2 ¢
Dave, VE3WI