Texans Asked to Not Use Appliances This Weekend

Saturday, May 14, 2022

The operator of the state's electricity grid is asking Texans to conserve power this weekend, after six generation plants went offline Friday amid unseasonably hot weather. Thermostats should be set to 78 degrees or higher, and people should avoid "the usage of large appliances," such as dishwashers, washers and dryers, from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. through Sunday, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas said in a statement that was released shortly after 5 p.m. Friday.

Posted by retort at 11:15 AM | 39 COMMENTS | permalink | Comment on This Entry |

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[Texas Gov. Greg] Abbott and other state leaders have been attempting to shore up the state's power grid, after its catastrophic failure during a severe winter freeze in February 2021. Extensive blackouts stemming from that disaster contributed to hundreds of deaths and billions of dollars in property damage.

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Our Republican State government in action.

Texans will die from the heat like they died from the cold and COVID.

Greg Abbott just needs a minimum number of voters to survive for re-election.

#1 | Posted by Zed at 2022-05-14 11:22 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

"after six generation plants went offline"

Too bad they can't get electricity from other states. Suckers.

#2 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2022-05-14 11:38 AM | Reply

Texas' power infrastructure was built for a different climate than what they are experiencing today.

States who've been sitting on their hands instead of preparing and adapting to the new climate will suffer more and more as change accelerates.

But hey, you get what you vote for.

#3 | Posted by horstngraben at 2022-05-14 11:47 AM | Reply

Nope, nossir, everything okay here. Lemme know when things cool down, okay? By the way, the gals, they made me do it. I mean, hey, what's a guy gonna do? Knowhudimean?
~ Rafi Cruz
The Reykjavik Edition
Austurbakki 2, 101
Reykjavk, Iceland 2, 101
Reykjavk, Iceland

#4 | Posted by Doc_Sarvis at 2022-05-14 12:03 PM | Reply | Funny: 1

Texas is a Third World Nation.

A libertarian shhthole.

#5 | Posted by ClownShack at 2022-05-14 12:17 PM | Reply

Better yet, just go to Cancun this weekend.

#6 | Posted by snoofy at 2022-05-14 12:18 PM | Reply

Speaking of.

Where in the world is Rafael Edward "Ted" Cruz Sandiego?

#7 | Posted by ClownShack at 2022-05-14 12:46 PM | Reply

Alaska?

#8 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2022-05-14 01:11 PM | Reply

And the state's not even icing-up...

OCU

#9 | Posted by OCUser at 2022-05-14 01:30 PM | Reply

And they'll blame it on democrats. And their moron supporters will swallow the lie.

#10 | Posted by SpeakSoftly at 2022-05-14 02:48 PM | Reply

Guess they should query California on how to run their utilities as that state has such a great record for reliable power generation ; )

#11 | Posted by MSgt at 2022-05-14 02:58 PM | Reply | Funny: 1

Remember when the dictator of Abbottistan recently said that the electricity grid problems in Texas were "fixed"?
Yet another outrageous lie.

#12 | Posted by e1g1 at 2022-05-14 03:20 PM | Reply

No doubt his request will be heeded since Texans are known as calm rational people who are always receptive to government requests.

#13 | Posted by Tor at 2022-05-14 03:29 PM | Reply

Well, at this moment (12:43pm PDT), according to the site below, 62% of the electricity being generated in California is coming from renewable sources, of that 73% is solar and 17% is wind:

www.caiso.com

OCU

#14 | Posted by OCUser at 2022-05-14 03:43 PM | Reply

Texas' Lieutenant Governor said seniors were willing to die for rightwing idiocy, so maybe this falls under that rubric.

#15 | Posted by JOE at 2022-05-14 03:59 PM | Reply

Guess they should query California on how to run their utilities

I've lived in California my entire life.

Back in the late 90s we had some brownouts - thanks Enron.

But, we've never been freezing to death, or asked to not use appliances.

That's a major failure by Republicans running that state.

#16 | Posted by ClownShack at 2022-05-14 04:45 PM | Reply

Guess they should query California on how to run their utilities as that state has such a great record for reliable power generation ; )

#11 | Posted by MSgt

Cali has outages caused by climate change and wildfires. It doesnt have outages from voluntary pure stupidity and stubborness like texas does.

#17 | Posted by SpeakSoftly at 2022-05-14 05:09 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 3

We can fly an electric helicopter on Mars but you can't run your dishwasher in Texas.

That's because scientists are in charge on Mars and Republicans are in charge in Texas.

#18 | Posted by SomebodyElse at 2022-05-14 05:13 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

#17. Yes we do. The legislature decided no long term contracts. Only spot purchases. Enron figured out how to game that, California sent cheap power to other states then bought it back at about ten times the price.
We can screw up anything, we just do it earlier.

#19 | Posted by Charliecharles at 2022-05-14 05:41 PM | Reply | Funny: 1

Back in the late 90s we had some brownouts - thanks Enron.

#16 | POSTED BY CLOWNSHACK

Do they need another history lesson on how Enron took over Cali power? Hint: had a lot to do with California Republicans

#20 | Posted by El_Buscador at 2022-05-14 05:58 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 3

#16. Re not using appliances. www.reuters.com sounds almost the same as the Texas announcement.

#21 | Posted by Charliecharles at 2022-05-14 06:20 PM | Reply

Like the Rolling Blackouts in CA

#22 | Posted by Maverick at 2022-05-14 06:36 PM | Reply | Funny: 1

Cali has outages caused by climate change and wildfires. It doesnt have outages from voluntary pure stupidity and stubborness like texas does.
#17 | POSTED BY SPEAKSOFTLY

For the record, I live in California and haven't experienced an outage since Gray Davis was governor. Not saying they don't happen, but it's not as what's being portrayed by so many of the Cali haters out there. Fact of the matter is, California has not experienced loss of life due to power outages a la Texas.

#23 | Posted by rstybeach11 at 2022-05-14 06:37 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

Like the Rolling Blackouts in CA
#22 | POSTED BY MAVERICK

Read #23 and come back to us in the future, you're stuck in the past.

#24 | Posted by rstybeach11 at 2022-05-14 06:38 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 2

Like the Rolling Blackouts in CA
#22 | POSTED BY MAVERICK

I thought those were bad.

#25 | Posted by snoofy at 2022-05-14 06:56 PM | Reply

"Like the Rolling Blackouts in CA"

Power plants were mysteriously taken offline for "maintenance" in the middle of the summer. It got us Governor Schwarzenegger.

#26 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2022-05-14 07:19 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

www.kqed.org

Our management. Ancient history, almost a year ago.

And looking ahead. sfist.com

#27 | Posted by Charliecharles at 2022-05-14 07:39 PM | Reply

I will aid in Texas' plight by not running my AC here in Va.

Yer welcome in advance.

#28 | Posted by Angrydad at 2022-05-14 09:00 PM | Reply

Cali has outages caused by climate change and wildfires. It doesnt have outages from voluntary pure stupidity and stubborness like texas does.
#17 | POSTED BY SPEAKSOFTLY

Perhaps we can send Texas some rakes and paper towels.

Trumpers really like stuff in emergencies I hear.

#29 | Posted by donnerboy at 2022-05-14 09:56 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

Sorry I can't hear them over the sound of my pool pump.

#30 | Posted by sitzkrieg at 2022-05-14 10:29 PM | Reply | Funny: 1

Like the Rolling Blackouts in CA

#22 | Posted by Maverick

YOu mean the ones intentionally organized by corrupt republicans at enron so they could recall the democratic governor and get rich in the process?

#31 | Posted by SpeakSoftly at 2022-05-14 10:51 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

What about diesel ------? Asking for a friend.
~ Rafi Cruz

#32 | Posted by Doc_Sarvis at 2022-05-15 05:56 AM | Reply

I get a text from ComEd (northern IL) when they want to charge me more because usage is way up. That way I can avoid using large appliances during peak hours. I save money and they aren't stressing the grid.

#33 | Posted by RJSquirrel at 2022-05-15 07:15 AM | Reply

Ironic. The more capitalistic they get... the more like Mexico they become.

What's next? Open trench sewage?

Quick... someone... remind me of why hordes of people are fleeing their home states (like California) and rushing to Texas to live? Is it the lower wages, droughts, or the inability to use the gadgets they worked so hard to acquire?

#34 | Posted by RightisTrite at 2022-05-15 08:31 AM | Reply

It's the ability to afford a home and buy food at the same time. Still easy here, just not Austin anymore.

#35 | Posted by sitzkrieg at 2022-05-15 09:27 AM | Reply

Cali has outages caused by climate change and wildfires. It doesnt have outages from voluntary pure stupidity and stubborness like texas does.

Posted by SpeakSoftly at 2022-05-14 05:09 PM | Reply

Don't forget good old PGE negligence and Jewish Space Lasers.

#36 | Posted by Nixon at 2022-05-16 07:39 AM | Reply

It's the ability to afford a home and buy food at the same time. Still easy here, just not Austin anymore.

#35 | POSTED BY SITZKRIEG AT 2022-05-15 09:27 AM | REPLY | FLAG:MEH

You can still afford to buy a home in CA if you are willing to live in BF-nowhere CA. Especially if you are willing to live north of central and east of 5. Really they are there to be bought. CA is a HUGE state like TX with more variety in climates, altitudes, and most importantly the advantage of its 1000-mile coastline. It also has cowpokes and metsikans. TX has the advantage of bordering with MX which is what makes so many of their border arguments silly.

The poverty rate in CA and TX are similar. Especially as the poor migrate to both states because it is better to live in the poorest part of a rich neighborhood than the richest part of a poor neighborhood. That's why major cities have shantytowns regardless of their nation's economic system.

Austin is becoming unaffordable for the same reason SF CA became unaffordable.

Y'all need to tell the truth about that. wink wink

#37 | Posted by RightisTrite at 2022-05-16 10:49 AM | Reply

I live in Northern California. The house next to me just sold for around $600,000. A house up the hill just sold for ~$900,000.

Someone obviously has the money to buy these houses.

Seems most of them are "retired" too. A house that is two houses down sold and they tore it down and they are building a better house in its place. The owner is a retired engineer.

Like I have always said, if you can make it in California you can make it anywhere. But even with the high cost of living many choose to live here. And many choose to retire here.

There are reasons for that. If you have ever been here you would know exactly why. It's called the Lost Coast for a reason (google it). Sometimes I like to call it the "last coast".

#38 | Posted by donnerboy at 2022-05-16 11:27 AM | Reply

The poverty rate in CA and TX are similar.

#37 | POSTED BY RIGHTISTRITE AT 2022-05-16 10:49 AM | FLAG:

Only if you don't use the Supplemental Poverty Measure, which you are supposed to because the traditional measure doesn't bother to include Cost of Living. Texas SPM is closer to New York than either of those 2 are to California. California sits in the upper echelon with Florida, Louisiana, Missippi, and DC. Only DC edges it out unless we start including the territories.

That was 2 years ago, prior to the current inflation, which added another 20% to home values and across the board inflation.

Remember how Snoofy used to constantly point out the gains going to the top? That's Cali in a nutshell. Great if you already live there and were a homeowner since the 90s. The bottom just keeps getting more poor and it will effect Cali's SPM more intensely than anywhere else and will just continue to ramp up. Too much -------- is predicated on rising home prices, like the entire CDO industry.

#39 | Posted by sitzkrieg at 2022-05-17 10:20 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 1