Legalectric

That’s the ERCOT LMP map as of 9:53 a.m., 2/17/2021:

Texas largely relies on natural gas for power. It wasn’t ready for the extreme cold.

From the article:

Yes, Texas is heavily reliant on natural gas, so when natural gas fails “in the most spectacular fashion,” Houston, we have a problem:

That chart is from the NERC Reliability Assessment 2020, and the Texas (ERCOT) section begins on p. 137. Note this tidbit on p. 140 — clearly not effective:

Ummmm… “ERCOT does not foresee any adverse reliability concerns for the Texas RE-ERCOT assessment area associated with fuel supply or fuel deliverability constraints.”

But millions across Texas are not laughing… and some have died.

The Texas blackout crosses the border, where’s that wall when they need it:

Natural gas shortage in Texas causes blackout in Northern Mexico

Texas’ natural gas production just froze under pressure

From the article:

Natural gas wells and pipes ill-equipped for cold weather are a big reason why millions of Texans lost power during frigid temperatures this week. As temperatures dropped to record lows across some parts of the state, liquid inside wells, pipes, and valves froze solid.

Ice can block gas flow, clogging pipes. It’s a phenomenon called a “freeze-off” that disrupts gas production across the US every winter. But freeze-offs can have outsized effects in Texas, as we’ve seen this week. The state is a huge natural gas producer — and it doesn’t usually have to deal with such cold weather.

…

They aren’t the only problem when it comes to energy in Texas. The power outages have also stopped natural gas pumping facilities. In fact, over the past few days, just about everything that could go wrong has failed spectacularly. And the finger-pointing is only getting started. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott called for an investigation into why blackouts were so widespread.

“This was a total failure by ERCOT,” Abbott told KTRK Houston. “ERCOT stands for Electric Reliability Council of Texas, and they showed that they were not reliable.”

And here’s the gas industry downplaying and butt covering:

No Easy Answers as Texas Power Grid, Natural Gas Market Rocked by Unprecedented Cold Snap

And there are many mothballed gas plants around Texas with lots of transmission, the perfect place for siting wind and solar without a need for more transmission — the infrastructure is their waiting to be used. From Legalectric in 2007:

At least 11,500MW mothballed in Texas

And for those participating in the disinformation campaign, REAL NEWS:

Why Wind Turbines In Cold Climates Don’t Freeze: De-Icing And Carbon Fiber

p.s. Here’s MISO LMP at 10:55 a.m. 2/17/2021 — why orange up here, what’s that about: