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Originally appeared at ZeroHedge
A polar vortex split dumped Arctic air into Texas, along with multiple winter storms, created havoc on the state’s power grid operated by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT). What happened, and why, more specifically, how did one nuclear power plant which provides power for two million homes shutdown?
How is it possible that a nuclear power plant in Texas had to shutter operations due to freezing weather, but nuclear power plants can operate without disruption in Russia?
The answer is simple – the South Texas Nuclear Power Station failed to winterize its facilities. After all, whoever thought Arctic conditions would be seen in on the Gulf of Mexico?
On Monday, the nuclear power plant had to shut one of two reactors down, halving its 2,700 megawatts of generating capacity. The plant, which operates on a 12,200-acre site west of the Colorado River about 90 miles southwest of Houston, provides power for more than two million homes.
According to Washington Examiner, the nuclear power plant was not winterized to withstand cold weather.
“It’s very rare for weather issues to shut down a nuclear plant,” said Brett Rampal, director of nuclear innovation at the Clean Air Task Force. “Some equipment in some nuclear plants in Texas has not been hardened for extreme cold weather because there was never a need for this.”
On Monday, South Texas Nuclear Power Station posted “Event Number: 55104” on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission website explaining low steam generation was due to the loss of water pumps. In response, reactor one was shutdown.
“It was the connection between the power plant and outside systems,” Alex Gilbert, project manager at the Nuclear Innovation Alliance, told the Washington Examiner.
The reactor’s shutdown only represented 1,280 megawatts of the 30,000 megawatts of outages on Monday. Nuclear power provides about 11% of ERCOT’s power.
Much of the power generation loss was due to freezing wellheads that impeded the flow of natgas to power stations, triggering electric shortages as demand overwhelmed the grid.
The high concentration of natgas generation on ERCOT’s grid makes it vulnerable to power disruptions if fuel flow is disrupted.
What’s worse is that ERCOT is a separate grid than the rest of the country. This means ERCOT had limited ability to pull power from other grids, which was why blackouts occurred.
The reactor’s return would boost the grid and help in restoring power. Overnight, ERCOT tweeted that they “continue to restore power, electric companies continue to bring generation back online.”
Arctic air is expected to leave the Lone Star State by the late weekend. This means power generation could be mostly restored as various fuel types of generation come back online.
But even as power returns, Texas is facing a humanitarian crisis as unintended consequences of a several day power grid collapse have left many people hungry, emotionally distraught, local economies ground to a halt, skyrocketing power bills for some, broken pipes in residential and commercial structures, water main breaks, and a major embarrassment for state leadership.
Maybe – just – maybe – Texas should start winterizing their power grid for a start. Significant reforms to ERCOT will come, and it wouldn’t shock us if a movement begins to push the power operator to tie its grid into the rest of the nation’s.
At least no Czernobyl as yet…these storms are driven by jet stream drag… possible always in SUB-tropics…only Tropics are exchded…say by La Pesca in Tamalipas.
So the Germans should now cancel the North Stream II natural gas pipeline project and become totally dependent on these energy geniuses from the state of Texas to heat their own homes during the winter?
this isn’t about if germans can heat their homes or no , US doesn’t even care about that., so far germany has been in united states pocket with nord stream 2 they will become more dependent to russia which US doesn’t like therefore they oppose this project and any other project which undermine their authority in germany, that is why germany FM previously said “we aren’t supposed to take permission from US for everything”.
Even the blind on earth can sense that the US is, ” All fur coat and no knickers”.
And a new President with signs of dementia only adds to the picture of a nation in terminal decline :)
Lol.
hahahahaha fat stoopid Jew slave Amerikan spend all money on war,,,,,now no heat, no medicine, only covid, covid mamtu menushkin and……no home,,,,,starve in street….hahahhaha too much fat stupid….
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/cfbc4947869a567ec4142f69a30f9dfd97762badc88292bea6287b01ea6d67bb.jpg
Endless wars for Zionism have ruined the US and literally bankrupted.
hahahhaaha Texas ….stolen land,,,,Mexican brother own Texas,,,,,want it back now……Amerikan kaputenheimer,,,,,,
Thank you for wise words.
How much land did the Mongols steal ?
US is totally bankrupt at all levels as the Zionist fanned wars have depleted it. Texas, albeit stolen from Mexico is one of the “richest” US state, but has no water, no hope and now no electricity. At least the senile fool Biden recognizes that US is declining rapidly.
Biden Administration Ready to Meet With Iran unconditionally anytime
The announcement regarding Tehran’s nuclear program offers the first clues on how President Joe Biden will address one of the thorniest foreign policy problems he faces, as sanctions, threats and bluster have failed to move Iran.
Atomic,nuclear,hydrogen is the future,fact remains if you shut the coal plants,too many a shortage, that is no population problem either,but rather zealout nwo bankster policys whom fear the true powers on planet earth being natural resources,I’m glad to see near 60% of australians ready to move forward and being on atomic/nuclear/hydrogen powerplants,not enough to be honest, yet when it comes to northern europe,uk,russia even usa,heck ever france nuclear power amounts to 70% total output,so how about we put an end to this bullshittish paris concept then?
They are being exposed for the fake,phoney,fraudlent and false concept they misrepresent, the sooner all sovereign nations adopt to mordernise fossil energys which is proven todays, the sooner we all get more affordable and consistent means to prosper as human beings, that green policy may be welcomed as the secondary option,certainly not the first or else,texas?
US life expectancy drops a year in pandemic, most since WWII
Average American white male can now barely survive to age 78, while Black males die before they reach their 72 year. US now ranks lower than most OECD nations in its life expectancy rankings, largely due to growing poverty, disproportionate military spending, lack of medical care access, rampant gun violence and drug abuse.
the FAILED STATE OF US WHICH WANTED TO BECOME A BANANA REPUBLIC 100%; FULLY ACHIEVED.IN 2021
Lone Star State. Lonely Star State.
These people want to challenge Russia in the Arctic.
The have fantasies of fighting Russia in the North.
Yet they freeze to death at every little cold snap …
The answer to all these problems is clean green energy with women in sun power. This will save both Texas and our planet. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/9d7764a411b8b6b4bf2e3a34521bc9f2def28291c9e1328dd82e39e7561af69a.jpg
Texas is being punished as it supported the Orange buffoon ans has a fairly strong secession movement. Examples are being made.
electrical grids now infected with communist virus in amerika