Texas's deregulated electricity market raised consumer costs by $28B: WSJ

[Crtcl Rice Theory 2,432]

Texas’s deregulated electricity market has raised costs to consumers by $28 billion since 2004, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis published Wednesday.

The analysis found that consumers purchasing power from the deregulated electricity market have paid significantly more than state residents whose sources were traditional electric utilities

https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/540271-texass-deregulated-electricity-market-raised-cost-to-consumers-by-28

 

[Steeleballz 7,550]

 

   Texas wanted pure, unregulated capitalism. This is part of it.

[TBoneTX 43,059]

It's actually like a treasure-hunt to search every 12 or 24 months for the providers who have the lowest rates.

[Nature Boy 2.0 8,315]

I am old enough to remember when the deregulated the phone companies. Rates dropped  like a rock

Edited February 25, 2021 by Nature Boy 2.0

[Steeleballz 7,550]

29 minutes ago, Nature Boy 2.0 said:

I am old enough to remember when the deregulated the phone companies. Rates dropped  like a rock

 

  I'm old enough to remember when a deregulated energy industry led to people in Texas getting power bills for several thousand dollars. It's going to take a lot of months of competitive free market rates to offset that bill.

 

   Telecom is a little different though. Mostly in that a winter storm isn't going to increase your cellular bill by 1000%. Also that if it did, you probably would just stop using the phone. People would probably want a little more balance in essential services like gas and electricity.

[TBoneTX 43,059]

Power companies (retail) in TX are already pledging not to gouge customers for last week.

If they do, there'll be hell to pay.

 

ERCOT executives were grilled by TX House & TX Senate in separate sessions today.

One revelation is that nobody ran a test of the grid when one could have been run:

   "Take down 5 gigawatts, see what happens; take down 10, see what happens..."

Otherwise, a lot of accusations and grandstanding when insights are what's really needed.

[Crtcl Rice Theory 2,432]

2 hours ago, Nature Boy 2.0 said:

I am old enough to remember when the deregulated the phone companies. Rates dropped  like a rock

I am old enough to be yelled at by my grandparents because I wasn't calling late enough time get the dropped long distance rates

[Ban Hammer 12,840]

i'm just going to leave this right here.......
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/mattvespa/2021/02/23/with-texas-frozen-heres-why-greenies-probably-dont-want-you-to-read-about-albe-n2585183

[Lemonslice 4,555]

1 hour ago, Ban Hammer said:

i'm just going to leave this right here.......
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/mattvespa/2021/02/23/with-texas-frozen-heres-why-greenies-probably-dont-want-you-to-read-about-albe-n2585183

This is not the best argument though.  Quebec electricity comes from 95% renewable sources, export, but does not import, electricity, and makes it ok during cold winters.  Same goes for many Canadian provinces... good for Alberta that they enjoy coal pollution I guess? 

[Steeleballz 7,550]

24 minutes ago, Lemonslice said:

This is not the best argument though.  Quebec electricity comes from 95% renewable sources, export, but does not import, electricity, and makes it ok during cold winters.  Same goes for many Canadian provinces... good for Alberta that they enjoy coal pollution I guess? 

 

  All it really shows is Texas wasn't prepared. We all knew that already. The fact that Alberta was prepared doesn't really change that. It just makes Texas' decision making processes to arrive at this point look even worse.  

[Crtcl Rice Theory 2,432]

2 hours ago, Ban Hammer said:

i'm just going to leave this right here.......
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/mattvespa/2021/02/23/with-texas-frozen-heres-why-greenies-probably-dont-want-you-to-read-about-albe-n2585183

2 hours ago, Ban Hammer said:

 

The article is a pile of garbage. 40 of Texas's power was not wind, and portions of wind failed but so did coal and gas. 

 

The article also is counterfactual about importing power. BC gives Alberta 6x the power (hydro) Alberta sends BC

Edited March 10, 2021 by CanAm1980

[Ban Hammer 12,840]

11 hours ago, CanAm1980 said:

The article is a pile of garbage. 40 of Texas's power was not wind, and portions of wind failed but so did coal and gas. 

 

The article also is counterfactual about importing power. BC gives Alberta 6x the power (hydro) Alberta sends BC

seems many have missed this point

Quote

how Alberta keeps the power running, noting that its grid is run on 43 percent coal and 49 percent gas. 

they don't have much reliance on wind.  i also suspect the hydro power is a trade to be "green" along with BC getting access

to reliable base load electricity.

[Lemonslice 4,555]

Can coal be reliable, yes.

Can gas be reliable, also yes.

Can hydro, wind, and solar, also be reliable, yup.

 

So, why is Texas failing to take the steps to have a reliable network?

[Crtcl Rice Theory 2,432]

14 minutes ago, Lemonslice said:

Can coal be reliable, yes.

Can gas be reliable, also yes.

Can hydro, wind, and solar, also be reliable, yup.

 

So, why is Texas failing to take the steps to have a reliable network?

This is the point.

[Ban Hammer 12,840]

41 minutes ago, Lemonslice said:

Can coal be reliable, yes.

Can gas be reliable, also yes.

Can hydro, wind, and solar, also be reliable, yup.

 

So, why is Texas failing to take the steps to have a reliable network?

which is most reliable?
which is a base load generator?