12 ms·

Is it just me or does this dashboard look like everything is fine?

by daenz 4y ago

kardianos 4y ago
Yes. Because it is just fine. Seriously.
paulmd 4y ago
Look at the "day-ahead" values in "system-wide prices". Today is bopping around the $85 mark (per MWh?) but tomorrow prices are going to hit $727 a MWh at peak. So a nearly 10x increase in average energy prices tomorrow. The article is saying that's because tomorrow demand is going to exceed supply again, and just like Feb 2021 in the Texas system that means prices float to match. The expectation is that businesses will shut down and consumers will turn off their AC to shed load from the system, because everyone is a highly-informed rational actor and the $5k electrical bill will not be a surprise. Which it shouldn't be, you live in Texas, clean water and reliable power are not a reasonable expectation in the same way they are elsewhere. This is a cost you have to bear if you want everything to be so completely and totally market-driven - especially if you signed up for one of those "wholesale" electrical billing plans, this is the whole point. The market raises prices, you react accordingly and turn off your power, the intent is that only “highly informed” consumers who understand the risks will take them - just like playing with options, this can get you in trouble real fast if things go really bad. (that said, non-wholesale plans will probably just cut your power entirely, because I doubt that is regulated either, it’s Texas! Sue, whoops, I mean, request binding company-sponsored arbitration if you don’t like it. But that could be preferable to getting a $5k bill for a single weekend of AC!) Orrrrr, we could just regulate the power grid and ensure appropriate generation capacity, with appropriate building codes and grid/power plant building standards so they don't light on fire or freeze solid during peak load, and we can live in a modern society with electrical lighting...
- gruez 4y ago
  > This is a cost you have to bear if you want everything to be so completely and totally market-driven - especially if you signed up for one of those "wholesale" electrical billing plans, this is the whole point. Are there still people on "wholesale" billing plans since Griddy blew up last year?
  - stjohnswarts 4y ago
    I think texas might have outlawed those after the "incident" lol https://abc13.com/texas-legislature-ban-residential-wholesale-electricity-plans-house-bill-16-gov-greg-abbott/10633908/ https://abc13.com/texas-legislature-ban-residential-wholesal...
    - paulmd 4y ago
      Good call, I'm not texan so I wasn't aware of that. And probably a good decision too.
wmf 4y ago
It's fine today but yesterday the price of electricity exceeded $4,000 for a few hours.
- kthejoker2 4y ago
  Realtime power price hits the "max print" (maximum allowed regulatory price) of $5,000 most of the Texas summer.

Is it just me or does this dashboard look like everything is fine?

by daenz 4y ago

Is it just me or does this dashboard look like everything is fine?

kardianos 4y ago

Yes. Because it is just fine. Seriously.

paulmd 4y ago

Look at the "day-ahead" values in "system-wide prices". Today is bopping around the $85 mark (per MWh?) but tomorrow prices are going to hit $727 a MWh at peak. So a nearly 10x increase in average energy prices tomorrow. The article is saying that's because tomorrow demand is going to exceed supply again, and just like Feb 2021 in the Texas system that means prices float to match. The expectation is that businesses will shut down and consumers will turn off their AC to shed load from the system, because everyone is a highly-informed rational actor and the $5k electrical bill will not be a surprise. Which it shouldn't be, you live in Texas, clean water and reliable power are not a reasonable expectation in the same way they are elsewhere. This is a cost you have to bear if you want everything to be so completely and totally market-driven - especially if you signed up for one of those "wholesale" electrical billing plans, this is the whole point. The market raises prices, you react accordingly and turn off your power, the intent is that only “highly informed” consumers who understand the risks will take them - just like playing with options, this can get you in trouble real fast if things go really bad. (that said, non-wholesale plans will probably just cut your power entirely, because I doubt that is regulated either, it’s Texas! Sue, whoops, I mean, request binding company-sponsored arbitration if you don’t like it. But that could be preferable to getting a $5k bill for a single weekend of AC!) Orrrrr, we could just regulate the power grid and ensure appropriate generation capacity, with appropriate building codes and grid/power plant building standards so they don't light on fire or freeze solid during peak load, and we can live in a modern society with electrical lighting...

gruez 4y ago
> This is a cost you have to bear if you want everything to be so completely and totally market-driven - especially if you signed up for one of those "wholesale" electrical billing plans, this is the whole point. Are there still people on "wholesale" billing plans since Griddy blew up last year?
- stjohnswarts 4y ago
  I think texas might have outlawed those after the "incident" lol https://abc13.com/texas-legislature-ban-residential-wholesale-electricity-plans-house-bill-16-gov-greg-abbott/10633908/ https://abc13.com/texas-legislature-ban-residential-wholesal...
  - paulmd 4y ago
    Good call, I'm not texan so I wasn't aware of that. And probably a good decision too.

wmf 4y ago

It's fine today but yesterday the price of electricity exceeded $4,000 for a few hours.

kthejoker2 4y ago
Realtime power price hits the "max print" (maximum allowed regulatory price) of $5,000 most of the Texas summer.