Amid reports of blackouts from subscribers, Christian investigates regional reports from the US energy sector, exploring the effect of recent record cold temperatures resulting from the Grand Solar Minimum on our fragile power grid. As the Grand Solar Minimum intensifies, our infrastructure — from generation through transmission to distribution — is rapidly faltering.
Start moving towards self-sufficiency today. Learn more about the natural cycles dictating these changes, and how to prepare, from the Ice Age Farmer wiki:
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Referenced Video: “Our Grid is Teetering on the Edge” (9/2017):
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REFERENCES
Cold Winters Testing Limits of US Grid:
http://thehill.com/opinion/energy-environment/371145-cold-winters-are-testing-the-limits-of-us-energy-grid
South Carolina (SCE&G):
https://www.aikenstandard.com/news/frigid-weather-bursts-aiken-pipes-strains-sce-g-power-grid/article_eed99e94-efd0-11e7-9870-53d9a75ac35f.html
http://www.thestate.com/news/local/article13833497.html
North Carolina (Duke Energy Carolinas)
https://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/prnewswire/press_releases/North_Carolina/2018/01/08/CL83353
/Indiana (Duke Energy):
Arkansas: (NAEC = North Arkansas Electric Coop)
http://uscms01.newsmemory.com/site/marioneveningtimes/2018/01/19/energy-use-spikes-as-frigid-temperatures-bring-the-chill/
Missouri / Louisiana: “almost went down on cold”
http://www.natchezdemocrat.com/2018/01/17/electricity-usage-reaches-capacity-for-power-grid/
Texas: grid stayed up because it’s rock solid due to AIR CONDITIONER USE. Look deeper, use was on par with MID AUGUST, which is peak demand on generation,
https://www.dallasnews.com/news/weather/2018/01/17/texas-brutal-cold-leads-record-electricity-use-rolling-blackouts-avoided
Florida: similar story:
http://www.wctv.tv/content/news/City-of-Tallahassee-using-record-high-energy-to-keep-residents-warm-470049153.html
DC-area : 3 record utilization days
http://www.dailylocal.com/article/DL/20180110/BUSINESS/180119990
ISO New England:
http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2018/01/iso_new_england_power_plants_f.html
Fuel Security Study: blackouts to come:
https://www.iso-ne.com/committees/key-projects/operational-fuel-security-analysis
Spot price jumping — this is what happens when assets for which there IS NO SUBSTITUTE — like STAYING WARM, or EATING — experience supply shortages:
https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zwVeQD8cH1k/WmzNRBrg01I/AAAAAAAAGrs/WTCppFeEP0wpfayiAE4JbavdncTW4QyvgCLcBGAs/s1600/local%2Bnatural%2Bgas%2Bprices.jpg
And the storm also took out Pilgrim nuke plant:
https://www.utilitydive.com/news/pilgrim-nuke-goes-offline-as-northeast-buffeted-by-winter-storm/514135/
ISO New England has an “ISO Express”
https://www.iso-ne.com/isoexpress/
Excellent coverage of ISO-NE crunch during cold wave from this blogger:
https://yesvy.blogspot.com/2018/01/the-northeast-grid-and-oil.html
During January cold snap, US withdrew record Nat Gas from storage:
https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=34512
Australia in their heatwave is also experiencing outages;
https://in.mobile.reuters.com/article/amp/idINKBN1FI0CO
We spoke already about Germany’s grid being terrible shape.
China:
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-pollution-gas-trailers/stepping-on-the-gas-chinas-truckers-scramble-to-meet-lng-demand-idUSKBN1D70Q8
http://en.ce.cn/main/latest/201801/31/t20180131_27985333.shtml
thermal coal record price — Record Winter demand on generation.
https://in.mobile.reuters.com/article/amp/idINL4N1PL3B1
*** related thread — blaming energy prices / grid instability on crypto energy use ? or what is:
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/cryptocurrencies-to-draw-more-power-from-the-grid-than-electric-cars-2018-01-10
https://www.naturalnews.com/2018-01-15-cryptocurrency-is-now-breaking-the-power-grid-of-a-u-s-county.html
and even Wall Street is betting on this thing going down, albeit in their case, betting on grid attack or cyberattack:
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-01-17/wall-street-s-1-7-billion-bet-on-rising-risk-of-grid-attacks