The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and North American Electric Reliability Corporation met Thursday to release preliminary results of an investigation of rolling blackouts in Texas in February. The Department of State Health Services says 210 people died as a result of the record cold, and NOAA says the cold caused $20.4 billion in damage across the South and Southeast.
DFW Airport set a record low of -2 February 16, the lowest official temperature recorded in North Texas since January 31, 1949 and the second lowest temperature on record. February 12, 1899, a temperature of -8 was recorded.
According to investigators with FERC, the biggest cause of rolling blackouts were issues at natural gas power plants. FERC says issues with equipment and fuel supply led to 75% of lost generation.
"Generator owners are to identify and protect cold weather-critical components and systems for each generating unit," says Steven Noess, director of regulatory programs with the North American Electric Reliability Corporation. "Cold weather-critical components are those which are susceptible to freezing or otherwise failing due to cold weather and could cause the unit to trip or fail to start."
FERC says ERCOT lost 15,000 MW of electricity generation over a five hour period the night of February 14. Investigators say ERCOT first ordered 1,000 MW of load shed at 1:20 a.m. February 15 but had increased that order to 20,000 MW of load shed by 7 p.m.
Investigators say ERCOT had the ability to import just 1,220 MW of electricity from the eastern, western or Mexican power grids. Investigators recommended ERCOT study where additional connections to other grids could be made to import more power during emergencies.
"Future-focused planning that appreciates the accelerating impact of climate change on the electricity system is our long-term path toward customer protection," says FERC Commissioner Allison Clements.
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Richard Glick, chairman of FERC, says the organization made power plant recommendations to ERCOT after rolling blackouts before the Super Bowl in 2011.
"The subject matter we are considering today literally is a matter of life or death," he says. "The situation didn't need to be as bad as it was. In 2011, it was a similar cold that caused substantial power outages in Texas and neighboring states, and a report was prepared. That report recommended mandatory weatherization requirements for electric generation facilities. Somehow, that recommendation was eventually watered down to guidelines few generators actually followed."
The investigation released Thursday found the greatest issue was a lack of winterization at power plants. Among those issues, 44% dealt with freezing instruments or wind turbines, 31% dealt with fuel supplies, and 21% dealt with mechanical issues.
The second biggest issue identified was weatherization at natural gas well heads. FERC also says processing facilities dealt with mechanical issues, and those facilities were slowed down by power outages, as well.
The investigation showed 32% of natural gas power plants had supply issues before rolling blackouts. Of those power plants, 60% had outages or problems re-starting.
The recommendations are preliminary. FERC says a more complete report will be released this winter.
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