Energy & Environment
Texas power grid operator issues conservation alert Wednesday as heatwave continues
Posted on · It's the second time in three days Texans are being asked to conserve power by ERCOT.
Tag: electricity
Energy & Environment
Texans face skyrocketing home energy bills as the state exports more natural gas than ever
Posted on · The cost of electricity in Texas is tightly tied to the price of natural gas, which has more than doubled since Russia invaded Ukraine in late February.
Energy & Environment
Texas breaks power demand record during June heat wave
Posted on · The state’s grid operator was able to maintain supply without needing to call for any conservation.
Houston Matters
Electricity prices spiking, and new plans for the T-MEC Corridor (May 12, 2022)
Posted on · On Thursday's show: What energy consumers should know after recent price spikes, a hiccup in Texas-Mexico relations, a fiction novel set in the Sikh Empire, and Latino Jews in Houston.
Energy & Environment
ERCOT urges power plants to stay online with high demand for electricity expected this weekend
Posted on · Texas’ electric grid operator is requesting power plants postpone scheduled maintenance to ensure they’re online to meet surging demand during an exceptionally warm weekend.
Engines Podcast
Engines of Our Ingenuity 2217: Magic Stairways
Posted on · Episode: 2217 Escalator: the Not-All-Purpose Magical Stairway. Today, magic stairways.
Engines Podcast
Engines of Our Ingenuity 2208: Beccaria and Franklin
Posted on · Episode: 2208 Franklin, Beccaria, and Volta: Setting the stage for the electric 19th century. Today, we invent electricity.
Engines Podcast
Engines of Our Ingenuity 3204: Mobility Matters
Posted on · Episode: 3204 Transforming Transportation from Engines to Motors. Today, our thoughts are about motors instead of engines.
Energy & Environment
Texas gas supply plummeted during last weekend’s cold snap. That spells trouble for the grid
Posted on · Almost one year after a historic power failure, the state’s natural gas system has been tested by a far milder cold spell. Some energy experts say it did not pass the test.
Energy & Environment
Grid Operator Says Texans Can Return To Regular Electricity Use
Posted on · The operator had urged electricity conservation earlier this week as several power generators unexpectedly went offline as temperatures rose this week.
Houston Matters
Are We Headed For A Summer Version Of February’s Power Failure? (June 16, 2021)
Posted on · On Wednesday's show: ERCOT calls on Texans to conserve power amid high summer demand, the week in politics, and anxieties about going back to work.
Winter Storm Aftermath
It’s Becoming Clearer Who Profited From The Blackouts, And That’s Raising Questions Of Price Gouging
Posted on · Natural gas was in short supply during the blackouts and could be sold at a premium. With no market controls, gas increased hundreds of times its normal value.
Energy & Environment
ERCOT Ends Energy Conservation Alert After Warning Of Emergency Grid Conditions
Posted on · The grid operator issued an alert Tuesday, warning that electricity demand on the grid was close to surpassing supply.
Energy & Environment
Houston Area Fared Worse Than The Rest Of Texas During The Winter Storm, Report Says
Posted on · Sixty-six people also died in Harris County alone, accounting for nearly one-third of the almost 200 deaths attributed to the storm, according to the report.
Energy & Environment
Resigning ERCOT Board Members Acknowledge ‘Pain And Suffering’ From Extreme Power Grid Strain That Caused Outages For Millions Of Texans
Posted on · In the power grid operator’s first board meeting since Texas’ power outages, a sixth ERCOT board member confirmed his resignation, and new details show that a shortage of natural gas fuel was a bigger problem last week than in 2011.