Is your electric company remotely adjusting your thermostat? Amid Texas heat, some are.

Trailrun23 · ‎05-31-2022

I am so frustrated with ERCOT! The snowmageddon we endured last winter should have been the huge wake-up call they needed to know they were far from up to the task. We have been staying inside, trying to manage at 78 degrees with the ceiling fans going, and doing the dishwasher late at night and a load of laundry at 7am. Am using only the micro and toaster and we have been eating mostly cold foods. Keeping the shutters closed to keep out the sun and using as few lights as possible. They should just be asking everyone to conserve until this awful heat wave is over, not just the one or two days that they have. I am horrified at losing power, especially since DH has several health issues and the extreme heat could be problem for him. Pray that the extreme heat ends soon...it should be back up to 105 again in a few days and triple digits with no end in sight except we were happy to get a short shower today. This is the longest, driest, and hottest stretch I can recall in years.

hckynutjohn · ‎06-15-2015

Hi there @Mersha,

Do you remember the origin of that quote in the time frame I mentioned?

You know, in criminal trials, even murder, a person can be found Not Guilty, but! That does not mean they are innocent of the crime.

Also interesting, no?

hckynut 🇺🇸

hckynut(john)

hckynutjohn · ‎06-15-2015

@carlycat wrote:
I have worked for an electric utility in Kansas. Here's some things you need to understand.
1. The "grid" is distribution lines (to the house), transmission lines (from plant to distribution), transformers to step the electricity down from the plant to usable in the end destination, and the generator, whether that be fossil fuel, wind, solar, nuclear, or hydroelectric. Texas is the only state not connected to the rest of the country. No power flows in or out of the state.
2. This matters because the grid must be balanced every few seconds to avoid power surges. There are employees doing that 24/7 making sure the grid stays in a steady state. If demand surges, like it's really hot, or cold, and the state doesn't have enough power, they can buy it from other neighboring areas.
3. Purchased power like that is more expensive, of course, because it's all about supply and demand. That's why bills go up in extreme weather. Do your laundry, dryer, dishwasher, etc at night, when there is less demand, and your electricity will cost less per KW.
4. Texas is not connected to the rest of the country, so when they need more, they can't buy it. Result is shortages and high prices.
5. Why is this an issue now? We are using more and more power. More people, more extreme weather, more electronics, electric vehicles, etc.
6. Build more, you say? Transmission lines run between 1 to 3 MILLION dollars per mile. Underground is more expensive. Gas power plant starts at 400 million. Nuclear plant is 6 to 9 BILLION. Wind turbines aren't as expensive, but, the wind doesn't always blow where transmission lines are. Usually a wind farm needs massive transmission construction. And coal plants aren't being built anymore because they are dirty: climate change.
7. So why electric cars?! CLIMATE CHANGE. Internal combustion engines pollute heavily.
8. It's a big, complicated problem.

@carlycat

You say "It's a big, complicated problem". I don't see it as the same size BIG, or Complicates as you, but. Any multiple pronged problem will not be solved, while at the same time, not producing, all the elements capable, and ready for the change.

It's not only financially killing industries/ businesses/families/individuals, but is creating shortages of things necessary for some, to even stay alive.

I have changed race cars/machines/audio video equipment, but never until I had each item in plentiful supply when I instituted the changes.

What's going on now? You think Solar/Wind and Electric are ready to carry the load without fossil fuels, or coal? You can answer that question quietly to yourself.

I do not, and what's now happening is the living proof.

hckynut 🇺🇸

hckynut(john)

hopi · ‎03-09-2010

Weather is an problem but the governing powers in Texas always use that as an excuse or change the issue to something else to avoid finding or working towards a solution.

hckynutjohn · ‎06-15-2015

I read that Tesla is sending out text/emails to owners in certain states. They are asking them not to plug in their car chargers between the hours of 3pm-8pm, or maybe even 10pm, not sure. I guess that is for the obvious reasons.

Guess the owners in those states are hoping for a whole lot of sunny/very windy days.

hckynut 🇺🇸

hckynut(john)

Spurt · ‎03-20-2010

@Kachina624 wrote:

@teganslaw wrote:
SPURT, Steve Brown makes sense. The people pushing electric vehicles have an agenda and are too stubborn to listen to reason. EVs have their place, but there are too many questions unanswered. If certain officials and politicians weren't making money off this, they wouldn't care.

As far as solar panels, in some places they might work, but they're not for everyone.
@teganslaw I'd guess at least half the houses in my subdivision, more in the whole city, have solar panels. When you have over 300 sunny days a year in the Sun Belt, it's a viable alternative to the traditional delivery of electricity.

@Kachina624

But there's also negatives about solar too...what are "we" going to do with the panels once they need to be replaced? Are they just going in the landfill and possibly into our water reserves???? Also, something Steve Browne pointed out if there's a power outage your solar does NOT take over, you still need a generator to maintain power....And you have to maintain them, pollen and/or dust reduces their effectiveness....how much will that cost????? And after 2022 our CPS Energy company will no longer give rebates for solar users....

Animals are reliable, full of love, true in their affections, grateful. Difficult standards for people to live up to.”

Cakers3 · ‎06-17-2015

@hckynutjohn wrote:
I read that Tesla is sending out text/emails to owners in certain states. They are asking them not to plug in their car chargers between the hours of 3pm-8pm, or maybe even 10pm, not sure. I guess that is for the obvious reasons.

Guess the owners in those states are hoping for a whole lot of sunny/very windy days.

hckynut 🇺🇸

@hckynutjohn The messages started going out in May. It also included recommendations to limit driving as much as possible and to conserve using A/C in the car.

I believe this came about when the average temp in Dallas jumped from the mid-70's into the 90's and ERCOT announced 6 of it's facilities had gone offline.

Interesting that Texas has the third largest number of EVs in the country.

Reducing charging EVs can help an already taxed system.

Some EVs have biodirectional charging-where the power stored in the battery packs can be redirected back into a home during outages.

I need to read more about that feature.

"" Compassion is a verb."-Thich Nhat Hanh

granddi · ‎03-16-2010

@Trailrun23 wrote:
I am so frustrated with ERCOT! The snowmageddon we endured last winter should have been the huge wake-up call they needed to know they were far from up to the task. We have been staying inside, trying to manage at 78 degrees with the ceiling fans going, and doing the dishwasher late at night and a load of laundry at 7am. Am using only the micro and toaster and we have been eating mostly cold foods. Keeping the shutters closed to keep out the sun and using as few lights as possible. They should just be asking everyone to conserve until this awful heat wave is over, not just the one or two days that they have. I am horrified at losing power, especially since DH has several health issues and the extreme heat could be problem for him. Pray that the extreme heat ends soon...it should be back up to 105 again in a few days and triple digits with no end in sight except we were happy to get a short shower today. This is the longest, driest, and hottest stretch I can recall in years.

Us regular folks are doing all we are asked and more. And then there is this (today NYT)

Seven of the largest Bitcoin mining companies in the United States are set up to use nearly as much electricity as the homes in Houston, according to data disclosed Friday as part of an investigation by congressional Democrats who say miners should be required to report their energy use.

granddi · ‎03-16-2010

Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Is your electric company remotely adjusting your thermostat? Amid Texas heat, some are.

Apparently if you sign up for some sort of "saver plan" you give your provider access to your smart thermostat. many are reporting resets to 78 degrees with no way to override.

Lucky Charm · ‎03-09-2010

@DrBabs wrote:
FYI -- Here's a dashboard of Texas grid conditions that I have bookmarked on my computer. It's interesting in a data-nerdy way!

https://www.ercot.com/gridmktinfo/dashboards