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The Texas Blackout of
February 2021
Thomas Overbye
O’Donnell Foundation Chair III
Electrical and Computer Engineering
IEEE PES Chicago Chapter
May 26, 2021
Our Energy Future Could be Quite Bright!
• My professional goal is to help in the development of
a sustainable and resilient electric infrastructure for
the entire world.
• Electric grids are in a time of rapid transition, with
lots of positive developments.
• I think our electric energy future could be quite bright!
But there are lots of challenges with this transition,
including maintaining human situational awareness,
particularly during times of stress.
• This presentation covers the Texas 2021 blackout
and related resiliency issues
22
North America Grid Interconnections
3
Lubbock Power and
Light is joining
ERCOT by 6/1/21
US Generation by Fuel Type
Oval size is proportional to the substation generation capacity, and color indicates primary fuel type (red
nuclear, black coal, brown natural gas, blue hydro, green wind, yellow solar). Image shows public data
from EIA Form 860; image created using PowerWorld Simulator.
4
2019 US Generation by Capacity
and Fuel Type (Zoomed on Texas
Barry
Walt er Bouldin Dam
Gadsden
Copper
Greene County
Jordan Dam
Lay Dam
M ar t in Dam
M it chell Dam
Lewis Sm it h Dam
Thur low Dam
Weiss Dam
E C Gaston
M iller s Fer r y
Browns Ferry
Co lbe rt
Gunt er sville
Wheeler Dam
Dolet Hills
J K Smith
Char les R Lowm an
Plat t e
Whelan Energy Cent er
Anchorage 1
Snet t isham
Escalant e
Beluga
Freder ickson
J S East wood
Holcom b
Cholla
Ocotillo
West Phoenix
Saguaro
Yucca
Dem oss Pet r ie
H Wilson Sundt Generat ing St at ion
Oklaunion Cross
Seminole (FL)
Agua Fria
Horse M esa
Ky rene
M orm on Flat
M cClure
Davis Dam
Glen Cany on Dam
Hoover Dam (NV)
Apache Sta tion
GREC
Lake Cat her ine
Beaver Dam
Degray
Nor f or k
Blakely M ount ain
Bull Shoals
Dardanelle
Thom as Fit zhugh
Car l Bailey
M cClellan (AR)
Clint on Power St at ion
Wolf Creek Generat ing St at ionBalch 2
Belden
Bucks Creek
Car ibou 1
Car ibou 2
Crest a
Elect r a
Haas
Hum boldt Bay
Jam es B Black
Dynegy M oss Landing Power Plant Hybr id
Pit 1
Pit 3Pit 4
Pit 5
Pit 6
Pit 7
Poe
Rock Creek
St anislaus
Geyser s Unit 5-20
Limestone
AES Alam it os LLC
Big Creek 1Big Creek 2
Big Creek 3
Big Creek 4Big Creek 8
Big Creek 2A
AES Hunt ingt on Beach LLC
Long Beach Generat ion LLC
M am m ot h Pool
Ormond Beach
AES Redondo Beach LLC
M ount ainview Generat ing St at ion
Colum bia Generat ing St at ion
Grayson
Dion R Holm
M occasinR C Kir kwood
Joliet 29
El Cent ro Hybr id
Castaic
Harbor
Haynes
Scattergood
Valley (CA)
Exchequer
Donnells
Woodleaf
Glenarm
M iddle Fork
Ralst on
Cam ino
Jaybir d
Loon Lake
Whit e Rock/Slab Creek
Devil Canyon
Edward C Hyat tTherm alit o
Don Pedro
Folsom
Judge F Car r
Keswick
Shasta
Parker Dam
W R Gianelli
Spr ing Creek
Tr init y
Colgat e
Cabin Creek
Cherokee
Comanche (CO)
M ar t in Drake
Blue M esaM or row Point
Flat ir on
Hay den
McWil l iam s
M cClellan (CA)
Cos Cob
Devon St at ion
M ont ville St at ion
Nor t hf ield M ount ain
MiddletownSout h M eadow
St ant on Energy Cent er
Millstone
Br idgepor t St at ion
Edge Moor
Indian River Generat ing St at ion
M cKee Run
Brandon Shore s
F redonia
Cape Canav e ra l
Fort Myers
Lauderdale
Port Ev e rg lades
Riviera
Sanford
Turkey Point
Avon Park
Bayboro
Crystal River
P L Bartow
Suwannee River
CristL ansing Sm ith
Big Bend
Vogtle
Deerhaven Generat ing St at ion
John R Kelly
J D Kennedy
Nor t hside Generat ing St at ion
Tom G Sm it h
Lar sen M em or ial
C D McIntosh Jr
Ker ckhof f 2
Indian River Plant
Arvah B Hopkins
S O Purdom
Bar t let t s Fer r y
Bowen
Jack McDonough
McManus
Tallulah Falls
Yates
Har t well Lake
Buf ord
Allat oona
Walt er F George
Kahe
Waiau
Am er ican Falls
Bliss
Brownlee
C J St r ike
Cabinet Gorge
Dworshak
Palisades Dam
E D Edwa rds
Grand Tower Energy Cent er LLC
Dresden Generat ing St at ion
Jo l ie t 9
Kincaid Generat ion LLC
Powerton
Quad Cit ies Generat ing St at ion
Waukegan
Wil l County
Fisk St r eet
Joppa Steam
Baldwin Energy Com plex
M oline
Venice
Dallman
Marion
Clifty Creek
Harding St r eet
Eagle Valley ( IN)
AES Petersburg
M ichigan Cit y
Cayuga
EdwardsportM arkland
Noblesville
R Gallagher
F B Culley
But ler -Warner Generat ion Plant
Lansing
Duane Arnold Energy Cent er
M ar shallt own
Prair ie Creek
Coralville GT
River side
Walt er Scot t Jr Energy Cent er
River Hills
George Neal Nor t h
Bur lingt on ( IA)
Keokuk
M uscat ine Plant #1
Sum m it Lake
Ear l F Wisdom
For t Dodge
River t on
Gordon Evans Energy Cent er
La CygneHut chinson Energy Cent er
Lawrence Energy Cent er
Chanut e 2
Kaw
Quindaro
M cPher son 2
Garden Cit y
Big Sandy
E W Brown
Ghent
Cane Run
Mill Creek (KY)
Ohio Falls
Paddys Run
Barkley
Elm er Sm it h
Kent ucky Dam
ParadiseShawnee
Wolf Creek
Kennet h C Colem an
Rober t A Reid
Cooper
Louisiana 1
Louisiana 2
R S Nelson
Coughlin Power St at ion
Teche
Little Gypsy
Nine Mile Point
Ar senal Hill
Lieberm an
Houm a
Big Caj un 1
Har r is Hydro
William F Wym an Hybr id
Herber t A Wagner
Not ch Clif f
Pe rry m an
PhiladelphiaWest por t
Vienna Operat ions
Chalk Point LLC
Dickerson
M organt own Generat ing Plant
Conowingo
My stic Gene ra ting Sta tion
Kendall Square St at ion
Canal
Essent ial Power M assachuset t s LLC Pot t er St at ion 2
Wat er s River
Clear y Flood Hybr id
Dan E Karn
J H Campbell
Ludington
Palisades
Delr ay
Fermi
Hancock
Monroe (MI)
Nor t heast (M I)
River Rouge
St Clair
Super ior
Trent on Channel
J B Sim s
Ecker t St at ion
Er ickson St at ion
Wyandot t e
Syl Laskin
Clay Boswe l l
M L Hibbard
Thom son
Bla ck Dog
High Bridge
Inver Hills
Al len S King
M ont icello Nuclear Facilit y
Pra irie Island
River side (M N)
Hoot Lake
New Ulm
Cam br idge CT
Elk River
Chevron Oil
Ja ck Wa tson
Baxt er Wilson
Mose l le
Asbury
Hawthorn
Nor t heast (M O)
Fair grounds
Ralph Green
Lake Road (M O)
Labadie
Meramec
Osage Dam
Sioux
Taum Sauk
Chillicot he
Blue Valley
Jam es River Power St at ion
Table Rock New Madrid
Thomas Hill
Glendive GT
Selis Ksanka Qlispe
M orony
Thom pson Falls
Noxon Rapids
Hungry Hor se
Yellowt ail
Canaday
Lon Wr ight
C W Burdick
Sheldon
Jones St r eet
North Om aha
Sarpy Count y
Clark (NVE)
For t Chur chill
Tracy
Com er f ordS C M oore
Merrim ack
Schiller
Car lls Corner
Sayreville
Gi lbe rt
Bergen Generat ing St at ion
PSEG Bur lingt on Generat ing St at ion
PSEG Kearny Generat ing St at ion
PSEG Linden Generat ing St at ion
PSEG Salem Generat ing St at ion
PSEG Sewaren Generat ing St at ion
Howard Down
Four Corners
Rio Grande
M addox
Reeves
San Juan
Cunningham
Danskam m er Generat ing St at ion
Ar t hur Kill Generat ing St at ion
East River
Gowanus Gas Turbines Generat ing
Indian Point 2
Nar rows Gas Turbines Generat ing
RavenswoodE F Barrett
Glenwood
NorthportPor t Jef f er son
Shoreham
Bet hlehem Energy Cent er
Dunkir k Generat ing Plant
Nine M ile Point Nuclear St at ion
Oswego Harbor Power
Bowl ine Po int
S A Car lson
Blenheim Gilboa
Lewist on Niagara
Robe rt Moses Niaga ra
Rober t M oses Power Dam
Asheville
Blewet t
Roxboro
Tiller y
Walt er s
W H Weat her spoon
G G Allen
Buck
Jam es E. Roger s Energy Com plex
Cowans Ford
Dan River
Marshall (NC)
Gast on
Roanoke Rapids
Font ana Dam
Hiwassee Dam
R M Hesket t
Garrison
L e land Olds
Mi l ton R Young
Cardinal
Dicks Creek
Miami Fort
Avon Lake
Conesville
Tait Elect r ic Generat ing St at ion
Yankee St r eet
F irstEne rgy W H Sam m is
West L ora in
Ky ge r Creek
Richland
Ham ilt on (OH)
Or r ville
Hor seshoe Lake
MuskogeeMustang
Seminole
Northeastern
Southweste rn
Tulsa
Weleet ka
M arkham
Pensacola
Salina
Rober t S Ker rWebber s Falls
Anadarko Plant
M ooreland
Hells Canyon
Oxbow (OR)
John C Boyle
Pelt on
Round But t e
Carm en Sm it h
Bonneville
Det roit
Green Pet er
John Day
Lookout Point
McNary
Brunot I sland
Por t land (PA)
Conemaugh
Hom er Cit y Generat ing St at ion
Seward (PA)
Shawville
KeystoneNew Cast le Plant
Brunner I sland
Holt wood
TalenEnergy M ar t ins Creek
TalenEnergy M ont our
Eddyst one Generat ing St at ion
Falls
Muddy RunPeach Bottom
Sout hwark
Saf e Harbor
M anchest er St r eet
Dar lingt on Count y
H B Robinson
Jocassee
W S Lee
Oconee
Wat eree Hydro
Hagood
M cM eekin
Par r GT
Saluda Lexingt on
Urquhart
Wateree
Williams
Hilt on Head
Jef f er ies
M yr t le Beach
J St r om Thurm ond
Ben French
Aberdeen CT
Oahe
For t Randall
Big Bend Dam
Allen
Apalachia
Boone Dam
Bull Run
Cherokee Dam
Chickam auga
Cumberland (TN)
Douglas Dam
For t Loudoun
Gallatin (TN)
John Sev ie r
Johnsonville
Kingston
M elt on Hill
Nickaj ack
Nor r is Dam
Pickwick Landing Dam
Wat t s Bar Hydro
Cordell Hull
Old Hickory
Laredo
Nueces Bay
Victoria
L ak e Hubba rd
Mounta in Creek
Newman
Lewis Creek
Sabine
Cedar Bayou
Greens Bayou
T H Wha rton
W A Parish
Knox L ee
Wilkes
Jones
Nicho ls
P lant X
Graham
Handley
M organ Creek
Perm ian Basin
Stry k e r Creek
Tr inidad (TX)
Deck e r Creek
Silas Ray
Ray Olinger
M ar shall Ford
Sim Gideon
Ty Cooke
Leon CreekO W Som m ers
V H Braunig
R W Miller
Pear sall
Sam Rayburn
Gadsby
Clayt or
Clinch River
Sm it h M ount ain
Chesterfield
Low M oor
Nor t hern Neck
Chesapeake
Possum Point
Surry
Yorktown
John H Ker r
Transalt a Cent r alia Generat ion
M erwin
Swif t 1
Yale
Lower Baker
Upper Baker
Long Lake
Rocky Reach
Wells
Prie st Rapids
Wanapum
Box Canyon
The Dalles
Cushm an 2
LaGrande
M ayf ield
M ossyrock
Chief Joseph
I ce Harbor
Little GooseLower M onum ent al
John E Amos
Fir st Energy For t M ar t in Power St at ion
Fir st Energy Har r ison Power St at ion
Mitchell (WV)
Mt Storm
Blount St r eet
French Island
Wheat on
Por t Washingt on Generat ing St at ion
Sout h Oak Creek
Valley (WI)
Point Beach Nuclear Plant
Edgewat er
Rock River
Pulliam
West M ar inet t e
Weston
M anit owoc
Genoa
Dave Johnst on
Naughton
Power lane Plant
Spencer
Wate rford 3
John P M adget t
Thom as C Ferguson
Ba rney M Dav is
Riv e rside (OK)
Cum ber land (NJ)
Donald C Cook
Joseph M Fa rle y
James H Miller Jr
Fir st Energy Pleasant s Power St at ion
Palo V erdeWhite Bluff
Calver t Clif f s Nuclear Power Plant
Olive
Brunswick Nuclea r
Harris
Newton
East BendW H Zimmer
Perry
Craig (CO)
Braidwood Generat ion St at ion
By ron Gene ra ting Sta tion
LaSalle Generat ing St at ion
Coal Creek
Belle River
Greenwood (M I)
Catawba
McGuire
Beaver Valley
H L Spurlock
Manatee
Martin
St Lucie
DeBary
Edwin I Hatch
Wansley
Big Cajun 2
Cascade Creek
Coachella
Elect r if arm
Nearm an Creek
Iatan
Je ffrey Ene rgy Cente r
Trimble County
Grand Gulf
Victor J Daniel Jr
Greenwood (M O)
Colstrip
Gera ld Gentlem an
St ony Brook
Som erset Operat ing Co LLC
R M Schahfer
Wallace Dam
Nor t h Loop
Lewis & Clar k
Sherburne County
Spir it M ound
Sooner
Nebraska City
Big Stone
Diablo Canyon
Helm s Pum ped St orage
Wy odak
Ta lenEne rgy Susquehanna
Limerick
Boardman
Jam es A Fit zpat r ick
Fort St Vra in
Gibson
Seabrook
PSEG Hope Creek Generat ing St at ion
Whit ehorn
R E Ginna Nuclear Power Plant
McIntosh
Fair f ield Pum ped St orageV C Sum m er
Ca rte rs
Jones Bluf f
Richard B Russell
A B Brown
F l int Creek
Welsh
Har r y Trum an
Ozark
Comanche Peak
Martin Lake
Dav is Besse
Raccoon Mounta in
Sequoyah
Callaway
Rush Island
New Haven Harbor
New M elones
Grand Coulee
Hunter
Rockport
Bath CountyNorth Anna
Laurel Dam
L ibby
L ower Granite
Coronado
Co le to Creek
Fayet t e Power Proj ect
Oak Grove (TX)
J T Deely
San M iguel
Har r is Dam
Rocky M ount ain Hydroelect r ic Plant
Bram e Energy Cent er
Harrington
Tolk
John Twit t y Energy Cent er
W E Warne
Rock Island
Ross
Laram ie River St at ion
M ount Elber t
Dynegy Oakland Power Plant
Merom
Em pir e Energy Cent er
Dansby
Pawnee
Winyah
Mayo
South Texas Project
Germ ant own
Ottumwa
Scherer
Wilson
Mountaineer
Swif t 2
Nor t h Pole
Healy
Bernice Lake
Rokeby
Flam ing Gorge
Denison
Cent er Hill
Euf aula Dam
Gorge
Diablo
Boundary
Wilson Dam
River Bend
Am es GT
Ant elope Valley
Por t Allen (HI )
Int erm ount ain Power Proj ect
M aalaea
Valencia
Keowee
Yards Creek
D G Hunt er
George M Sullivan Generat ion Plant 2
St ock I sland
Toledo Bend
Bur lingt on (CO)
For t Peck
Gavins Point
A L Pier ce
R D Green
Independence St eam Elect r ic St at ion
Louisa
Warrick
Rawhide
Sikest on Power St at ion
Hugo
St St ephen
D B Wi lson
M aj or Oak Power
Gravel Neck
M cInt osh (AL)
Harry Allen
J K Spruce
Bad Creek
Forked River
Pleasant Hill
Wading River
Hay Road
Lim e Creek
Woodsda le
Concord
Sout h Fond Du Lac
Cope
Darbyt own
Clover
Gianera
Angus Anson
Cane Island
Polk
Dam 2
Woodland
491 E 48t h St r eetPa ris (WI)
L inco ln Com bustion
St at e Line Com bined Cycle
Hines Ene rgy Com plex
Redding Power
Richard M Flynn
Alm ond Power Plant
Richm ond
Ander son
George Neal Sout h
Robins
Coyot e Spr ings
Bradley Lake
Geot herm al 1
Geot herm al 2
M idulla Generat ing St at ion
Int er st at e
Cowlit z Falls
Rat hdrum
Neil Sim pson I I
Ar t hur Von Rosenberg
M cPher son 3
Solano Wind
Wayne Count y
Ponca Cit y
SCA Cogen 2
SPA Cogen 3
H M Jackson
St Francis Energy Facilit y
River Road Gen Plant
Tiger Bay
Dahlberg
H Allen Franklin Com bined Cycle
Theodore Cogen Facilit y
Watts Ba r Nuclea r P lant
Kapst one
Essex
Nodaway
Chouteau
Georget ownTilt on
Henry Count y
M PC Generat ing
Sowega Power
Allegany Cogen
Bonanza
Sherwood H Sm it h Jr Energy Com plex
Sewell Creek Energy
Alsey
Fult on (AR)
Rowan
Sm ar r Energy Cent er
John S Ra iney
Essent ial Power Rock Spr ings LLC
M ar sh Run Generat ion Facilit y
Louisa Generat ion Facilit y
Remington
Ladysmith
Pleasant Valley (M N)
Lagoon Creek
Brandy Branch
Holden
M EPI GT Facilit y
Elk M ound
Glenwood Landing
Encogen
Rober t P M one Plant
H L Culbreat h Bayside Power St at ion
Ter r y Bundy Generat ing St at ion
E B Har r is Elect r ic Generat ing Plant
Sand Hill
Pirkey
M cCar t ney
Pine Flat
Hell Gat e
Talbot Count y Energy
Chat t ahoochee Energy Facilit y
Lakef ield Junct ion
Osawat om ie
West Gardner
Coyot e Spr ings I I
Nine Canyon
Wansley Unit 9
Lawrence Count y St at ion
Evander Andrews Power Com plex
Kem per Count y
Peno Creek
Sum pt er
Pyram id
Mil l Creek (SC)
Great er Des M oines
Silver Creek
Sylvarena
Grays Harbor Energy Facilit y
Beat r ice
Newingt on
Bea r Swam p
Roset on Generat ing Facilit y
Holtsv i l le
Croydon CT Generat ing St at ion
Co lum bia (WI)
Blue L ak e
Sycam ore ( IA)
Em ery Sta tion
Cooper Nuclear St at ion
Clif t on
Belews Creek
Anclote
Int er cession Cit y
Gera ld Andrus
Arkansas Nuclear One
Wat er f ord 1 & 2
Com anche (OK)
DeCordova St eam Elect r ic St at ion
Jim Bridger
For t Lupt on
Santan
Huntington
Beaver
Keahole
Gavin Power, LLC
Ray D Nixon
Coy ote
Springerville
Nor t h Valm y
Seneca Generat ion LLC
Cheswick Power Plant
Hoover Dam (AZ)
Ast or ia Generat ing St at ion
Indian Point 3
Gilr oy Power Plant
Logan Generat ing Plant
Escanaba M ill
El Segundo Cogen
Bayou Cogen Plant
Bellingham Cogenerat ion Facilit y
Sayreville Cogenerat ion Facilit y
Geism ar
H Power
Savannah River M ill
M uskogee M ill
SEGS VI I I
SEGS IX
Kern River Cogenerat ion
Form osa Ut ilit y Vent ure Lt d
Jesup Plant
Cham ber s Cogenerat ion LP
Pine Bluf f M ill
Hopewell Cogenerat ion
River Valley
AES Hawaii
AES War r ior Run Cogenerat ion Facilit yBrush Generat ion Facilit y
ExxonM obil Bayt own Turbine
Selkir k Cogen
M asspower
M idland Cogenerat ion Vent ure
Las Vegas Generat ing St at ion
Sabine River Works
Silver Bay Power
Ar cher Daniels M idland Cedar Rapids
Ar cher Daniels M idland Decat ur
Hazelt on Linden Cogen Plant
Calist oga Power Plant
Par is Energy Cent er
Sycam ore Cogenerat ion
Newgulf Cogen
Dow St Char les Operat ions
Colum bus M S
Wat son Cogenerat ion
Buckspor t Generat ion LLC
Bet hpage Power Plant
Shell Deer Par k
Som erset Plant
Oxnard
Tennessee East m an Operat ions
PPG River sidePPG Powerhouse C
Axiall Nat r ium Plant
Sky River LLC
Harbor Cogen
Front ier
Eagle Point Power Generat ion
ExxonM obil Beaum ont Ref iner y
Sappi Cloquet M ill
JM Shaf er Generat ing St at ion
Gary Works
Par lin Power Plant
Florence M ill
Opt im Energy Alt ura Cogen LLC
Covingt on Facilit y
Hardee Power St at ion
M ot iva Ent erpr ises Por t Ar t hur Ref iner y
Indiant own Cogenerat ion LP
Ocean St at e Power
LaO Energy Syst em s
Doswell Energy Cent er
Elizabet h River Power St at ion
Texas Cit y Power Plant
Richm ond Cogen
Freepor t Energy
Whit ing Ref iner y
Power St at ion 4
M idway Sunset Cogen
C R Wing Cogen Plant
Delaware Cit y Plant
Lockpor t Energy Associat es LP
Spruance Operat ing Services LLC
Androscoggin M ill
M ansf ield M ill
Ashdown
Saguaro Power
Bir chwood Power
Ocean St at e Power I I
Or lando Cogen LP
Ferndale Generat ing St at ion
Har t well Energy Facilit y
Sit he Independence St at ion
Collier ville Powerhouse
Saranac Facilit y
NAEA Lakewood LLC
Kalaeloa Cogen Plant
Oyst er Creek Unit VI I I
Sidney A M ur ray Jr Hydroelect r ic
Herm ist on Generat ing Plant
Grays Fer r y Cogenerat ion
St orm Lake 1
M ilf ord Power LP
Johnson Count y
Brandywine Power Facilit y
Gordonsville Energy LP
Sun Peak Generat ing St at ion
Nar rows (NC)
Cheoah
Calderwood
Brooklyn Navy Yard Cogenerat ion
M ichigan Power LP
LSP-Cot t age Grove LP
LSP-Whit ewat er LP
Sweeny Cogen Facilit y
Dight on Power Plant
De Pere Energy Cent er
Rio Bravo
M id-Georgia Cogenerat ion Facilit y
Berkshir e Power
Br idgepor t Energy Proj ect
Pasadena Cogenerat ion
Tiver t on Power Plant
Axiall Plaquem ine
Tenaska Georgia Generat ion Facilit y
Tenaska Front ier Generat ion St at ion
Bat esville Generat ion Facilit y
Black Hawk St at ion
M ust ang St at ion
M aine Independence St at ion
Pine Bluf f Energy Cent er
Red Hills Generat ing Facilit y
Deser t St ar Energy Cent er
M illennium Power
Brownsville Peaking Power
Crocket t Cogen Proj ect
Gregory Power Plant
Zeeland Generat ing St at ion
Dearborn Indust r ial Generat ion
Taf t Cogenerat ion Facilit y
M idlot hian Energy Facilit y
Lam ar Power Proj ect
NRG St er lingt on Power
Rum f ord Power LLC
Klam at h Cogenerat ion Plant
Sabine Cogen
Rhode Island St at e Energy Cent er
Rocky Road Power LLC
Madison
Verm illion Energy Facilit y
Sut t er Energy Cent er
Rockingham Count y CT St at ion
RS Cogen
M agic Valley Generat ing St at ion
Gr if f it h Energy LLC
M ilf ord Power Proj ect
M anchief Elect r ic Generat ing St at ion
Walt on Count y Power LLC
Dese rt Basin
Kendall Count y Generat ion Facilit y
Tenaska Gat eway Generat ing St at ion
Alliant Energy Neenah
Rio Nogales Power Proj ect
Wolf Hollow I LP
Hawk Road Facilit y
Hays Energy Proj ect
Green Count r y Energy LLC
Wor t hingt on Generat ion LLC
Lake Road Generat ing Plant
La Palom a Generat ing Plant
Guadalupe Generat ing St at ion
Lost Pines 1 Power Proj ect
Bluegrass Generat ing St at ion
Calcasieu
Broad River Energy Cent er
Bast r op Energy Cent er
Granite Ridge
Bosque Count y Peaking
Acadia Energy Cent er
East m an Cogenerat ion Facilit y
Sout h Point Energy Cent er
Dogwood Energy Facilit y
Rat hdrum Power LLC
Sunr ise Power LLC
Nelson Energy Cent er
Channelview Cogenerat ion Plant
Cordova Energy
Osceola (FL)
Ont elaunee Energy Cent er
Spr ingdale 1 & 2
Caledonia
River side Generat ing LLC
Elwood Ene rgy L L C
Gibson Cit y Energy Cent er LLC
Pinckneyville
Kinm undy
Corpus Chr ist i Energy Cent er
Lake Bent on I
Af t on Generat ing St at ion
ANP Bellingham Energy Proj ect
ANP Blackst one Energy Proj ect
Odessa-Ect or Power Plant
M or r is Cogenerat ion LLC
Los M edanos Energy Cent er
Hinds Energy Facilit y
Atta la
Har r y L. Oswald
Lincoln Generat ing Facilit y
Ennis Power Com pany LLC
Wheat land Generat ing Facilit y
Onet a Energy Cent er
Freest one Energy Cent er
Greenville Elect r ic Generat ing St at ion
M ont pelier Elect r ic Generat ing St at ion
Jack County
Liber t y Elect r ic Power Plant
M ar shall Energy Facilit y
Handsom e Lake Energy LLC
Audrain Generat ing St at ion
Lee Energy Facilit y
Energy Shelby Count y
NRG Rockf ord I
Red Oak Power LLC
Hog Bayou Energy Cent er Sant a Rosa Energy Cent er
Ast or ia Gas Turbines
Doyle Energy Facilit y
Darby Power , LLC
Univer sit y Par k Sout h
Gleason Generat ing Facilit y
Cret e Energy Vent ure LLC
Whit ing Clean Energy
Lake Bent on I I
Edward L. Addison Generat ing Plant
TVA Sout haven Com bined Cycle
Jackson Generat ing St at ion
Tenaska Lindsay Hill Generat ing St at ion
Ceredo Generat ing St at ion
Aurora
Sout heast Chicago Energy Proj ect
Ar lingt on Valley Energy Facilit y
Front Range Power Plant
Big Sandy Peaker Plant
Wolf Hills Energy
Oleander Power Proj ect LP
St orm Lake I I
Decat ur Energy Cent er
M organ Energy Cent er
West brook Energy Cent er Power Plant
Blyt he Energy Inc
Calum et Energy Team LLC
New Cover t Generat ing Facilit y
Fair less Energy Cent er
Channel Energy Cent er LLC
Bacont on Power Plant
Gila River Power Block 4
Ingleside Cogenerat ion
Fore River Generat ing St at ion
Ind ian Riv e r
Wise Count y Power LLC
Chuck Lenzie Generat ing St at ion
Bayt own Energy Cent er
Herm ist on Power Par t ner ship
Washingt on Count y Power LLC
Delt a Energy Cent er
Holland Energy Facilit y
Ironwood L L C
Dell Power St at ion
Luna Energy Facilit y
Ot ay M esa Generat ing Proj ect
ArmstrongTroy Ene rgy L L C
Pleasant s Energy LLC
Dresden Energy Facilit y
Jack Fusco Energy Cent er
Cot t onwood Energy Proj ect
Sugar Creek Power
Exelon LaPor t e Generat ing St at ion
Harquahala Generat ing Proj ect
Ast or ia Energy
Gans
Union Power Station
Com m onwealt h Chesapeake
Thom as A Sm it h Energy Facilit y
Colum bia Energy Cent er (SC)
RockGen Energy Cent er
Zion Energy Cent er
M et calf Energy Cent er
Crossroads Energy Cent er
Washingt on Energy Facilit y
Elk Hills Power LLC
Rolling Hills Generat ing
Renaissance Power Plant
Carville Energy LLC
At hens Generat ing Plant
Ef f ingham Count y Power Proj ect
Calhoun Energy Cent er
Hillabee Energy Cent er
Osprey Energy Cent er Power Plant
Shady Hills Generat ing St at ion
Vandolah Power St at ion
Raccoon Creek Energy Cent er
Hot Spr ing Generat ing Facilit y
Plaquem ine Cogenerat ion Plant
Kent ucky M ills
Bayou Cove Peaking Power
Elgin Energy Cent er LLC
Tenaska Vir ginia Generat ing St at ion
Tenaska Cent r al Alabam a Generat ing St n
M agnolia Power Plant
Fount ain Valley Power Facilit y
Red Hawk
M cClain Energy Facilit y
Redbud Power Plant
Deer Par k Energy Cent er
Ouachita
Green Power 2
Wygen 1
Forney Energy Cent er
M esquit e Generat ing St at ion Block 2
Goldendale Generat ing St at ion
Goose Creek Energy Cent er
Kiam ichi Energy Facilit y
Lawrenceburg Power , LLC
Wat er f ord Power , LLC
Frank Knut son
Apex Generat ing St at ion
Fayet t e Energy Facilit y
Wallingf ord Energy
High Deser t Power Plant
Sundance
York Energy Cent er
Indigo Energy Facilit y
Hidalgo Energy Cent er
King M ount ain Wind Ranch 1
Per r yville Power St at ion
West Valley Generat ion Proj ect
Univer sit y Par k Nor t h
River side Energy Cent er
Blue Spruce Energy Cent er
Plains End
Spr ing Creek Energy Cent er
Cham ber sburg
Past or ia Energy Facilit y, LLC
Essent ial Power Newingt on LLC
Chehalis Generat ing Facilit y
Har r ison Count y Power Proj ect
Lower M ount Bet hel Energy
AL Sander sville LLC
Higgins Generat ing St at ion
Bet hlehem Power Plant
Quant um Choct aw Power LLC
M int Farm Generat ing St at ion
Frem ont Energy Cent er
Choct aw Count y
Allegheny Energy Unit s 3 4 & 5
Magne t Cov e
Dean
Bennet t M ount ain
Hanging Rock Energy Facilit y
Los Est eros Cr it ical Energy Cent er
M ar cus Hook Energy LP
Freder ickson Power LP
Cur t is H St ant on Energy Cent er
Rocky M ount ain Energy Cent er
Silverhawk
Inland Em pir e Energy Cent er
Prair ie St at e Generat ing St at ion
Jasper
Tracy Com bined Cycle Power Plant
NAEA Ocean Peaking Power LLC
Warren County
Wansley Com bined Cycle
Cosum nes
Cass Count y
Hunt er st own Power Plant
Bluf f view
Palom ar Energy
Deser t Sky
Exir a
AM EA Peaking
Fox Energy Cent er
M alburg
M agnolia Power Proj ect
CPV Towant ic Energy Cent er
Elm Road Generat ing St at ion
High Winds LLC
Walnut Energy Cent er
New M exico Wind Energy Cent er
Currant Creek
M ankat o Energy Cent er
Brazos Wind Farm
River side Energy Resour ce Cent er
M cInt osh Com bined Cycle Facilit y
Sout h Harper
Freepor t Energy Cent er
Far ibault Energy Park
Sheboygan Falls
500MW CC
TS Power Plant
Por t West ward
EG178 Facilit y
Cait hness Long Island Energy Cent er
Lake Side Power Plant
Grot on Generat ing St at ion
M alaga Power LLC
Cannon Falls Energy Cent er
Shell Chem ical
Anson Count y Generat ion Facilit y
Int r epidCent ury
Hopkins Ridge Wind
Em pir e Generat ing Co LLC
M aple Ridge Wind Farm
Hor se Hollow Wind Energy Cent er
Ham let Generat ing Facilit y
Roseville Energy Park
Elk River Wind
Shut e Creek Facilit y
Wygen 2
Wild Hor se
M ust ang St at ion Unit 4
Har r y D M at t ison Gas Plant
Sweet wat er Wind 4 LLC
High Trail Wind Farm LLC
Cedar Ridge
Quail Run Energy Cent er
Colorado Bend Energy Cent er
Spearville
Leaning Juniper
Big Horn Wind Proj ect
Cedar Creek Wind
M esquit e Wind Power LLC
Treasure Coast Energy Cent er
West County Ene rgy Cente r
Spindle Hill Energy Cent er
GSG LLC
Plum Point Energy St at ion
Hobbs Generat ing St at ion
M arengo Wind Plant
Russell Cit y Energy Cent er
Klondike Windpower I I I
Gat eway Generat ing St at ion
Post Oak Wind LLC
Buf f alo Gap 2 Wind Farm
Biglow Canyon Wind Farm
Whit e Creek Wind Farm
NedPower M ount St orm
Pom eroy Wind Farm
Em por ia Energy Cent er
Jonesboro Cit y Wat er & Light Plant
Colusa Generat ing St at ionPeet z Table Wind Energy
John W Turk Jr Power Plant
J Lam ar St all Unit
Roscoe Wind Farm LLC
Wygen I I I
Prair ie Winds SD1
Dry Fork St at ion
Deer Creek St at ion
Sandy Creek Energy St at ion
Logan Wind Energy
Old Trail Wind Farm
Fent on Wind Farm
M idway Peaking LLC
M ichigan Wind 2
Pat t ern Gulf Wind
Goodnoe Hills
Longview Power Plant
Winchest er Power Park
CFB Power Plant
Goat Wind LP
Capr icorn Ridge Wind LLC
Fowler Ridge Wind Farm LLC
Cloud Count y Wind Farm
Geism ar Cogen
Penascal Wind Power LLC
Pioneer Prair ie Wind Farm
Kleen Energy Syst em s Proj ect
Greenland Energy Cent er
Panoche Energy Cent er
Cedar Bayou 4
Bear Garden
Virginia Cit y Hybr id Energy Cent er
Car roll Wind Farm
Adair Wind Farm
Walnut Wind Farm
Solana Generat ing St at ion
Hackber r y Wind Farm
Kibby Wind Facilit y
Glenrock
Rolling Hills
Seven M ile Hill
CPV St Char les Energy Cent er
M arble River Wind Farm
Dave Gat es Generat ing St at ion
Im per ial Valley Solar , LLC
CPV Valley Energy Cent er
Grand Ridge Wind Energy Cent er
Coolidge Generat ion St at ion
Bull Creek Wind
Not rees Windpower Hybr id
West Dept f ord Energy St at ion
Bayonne Energy Cent er
Pant her Creek Wind Farm Three
Pyron Wind Farm LLC Hybr id
Papalot e Creek I LLC
Inadale Wind Farm LLC Hybr id
Grand M eadow
Pueblo Air por t Generat ing St at ion
Canyon Power Plant
Langley Gulch Power Plant
Cleveland Cnt y Generat ing Facilit y
Sout hcent r al Power Proj ect
Ratcliffe
High Plains
Nobles Wind Proj ect
GenConn M iddlet own LLC
GenConn Devon LLC
Ivanpah 2
Ivanpah 1
Ivanpah 3
M ilf ord Wind Cor r idor I LLC
St r eat or Cayuga Ridge Sout h
Penascal I I Wind Proj ect LLC
M eadow Lake Wind Farm LLC
Blackst one Wind Farm I I LLC
Big Sky Wind LLC
Windy Flat s Wind Proj ect
Lower Snake River Wind Energy Proj ect
Bent Tree Wind Farm Phase 1
Glacier Hills
Cedar Creek I I
Goshen Phase I I
Papalot e Creek I I LLC
Cedro Hill Wind LLC
Taloga Wind LLC
M ar sh Landing Generat ing St at ion
M inonk Wind Farm
Alpine Solar
Dunlap
Cr it er ion
Cedar Point Wind
FPL Energy I llinois Wind LLC Hybr id
M oj ave Solar Proj ect
Crossroads Wind Farm
Leaning Juniper Wind Power I I
Elk Cit y LLC
Baldwin Wind LLC
Gar r ison Energy Cent er LLC
Agua Calient e Solar Proj ect
Lakef ield Wind Proj ect LLC
AV Solar Ranch One
Genesis Solar Energy Proj ect
Sherbino I I
Buf f alo Ridge I I LLC
Calif ornia Valley Solar Ranch
M cGinness Hills
Blue Creek Wind Proj ectBishop Hill Energy LLC
Garden Wind LLC
Sent inel Energy Cent er , LLC
M ar iposa Energy Proj ect
M anzana Wind LLC
Rolling Hills Wind Farm
Ocot illo Express LLC
Walnut Creek Energy Park
KODE Novus I
Tr init y Hills
Nor t h Hur lbur t Wind LLC
Kawailoa Wind
Palouse
Bingham Wind
Sout h Hur lbur t Wind LLC
Hor seshoe Bend Wind LLC
Pio Pico Energy Cent er
Waver ly Wind Farm LLC
Hidalgo Wind Farm LLC
Br ight St alk Wind Farm I
I r onwood Wind
Prair ie Rose Wind Farm
Ast or ia Energy I I
Topaz Solar Farm
Vasco Winds
M esquit e Solar 1
Laurel Hill Wind
Los Vient os Wind 1A
Los Vient os Wind 1B
Pacif ic Wind LLC
Windst ar 1
Flat Ridge 2 Wind Energy LLC
St Joseph Energy Cent er
M agic Valley Wind Farm I LLC
M ust ang Hills LLC
Pinyon Pine I
Alt a Wind VI I I
Pinyon Pine I I
Woodbr idge Energy Cent er
Wabash Valley Power IGCC
Caney River Wind Proj ect
M oapa Sout hern Paiut e
Wildcat Wind Farm I , LLC
Ant elope St at ion
Eclipse Wind Farm
Vienna Wind Farm
Pioneer Generat ing St at ion
El Segundo Energy Cent er LLC
Tule Wind LLC
Baf f in Wind
Lonesom e Creek St at ion
Spearville 3 LLC
Lodi Energy Cent er
Senat e Wind LLC
St ephens Ranch Wind Energy LLC
Canadian Hills Wind
Deser t Sunlight 300, LLC
Nat urEner Rim Rock Energy
Panda Tem ple Power St at ion
Panda Sherm an Power St at ion
Calif ornia Ridge Wind Energy LLC
Shoot ing St ar
Beebe 1A
Whit et ail
Chisholm View Wind Proj ect
Newark Energy Cent er
Wolf Ridge Wind
El Cabo Wind
M ont ague Wind Power Facilit y LLC
Echo Wind Park
Lim on Wind I
Lim on Wind I I
Ensign Wind LLC
Lee Com bined Cycle Plant
Clayville
M ar shallt own Generat ing St at ion
Pat t ern Panhandle Wind LLC
Rubar t
Brunswick Count y Power St at ion
Por t West ward Unit 2
Prair ie Breeze
Solar St ar 1
Solar St ar 2
Alt a Wind X
Alt a Wind XI
Headwat er s Wind Farm LLC
Panda Liber t y Generat ion Plant
Panda Pat r iot Generat ion Plant
Cent inela Solar Energy
M cCoy Solar Energy Proj ect Hybr id
Cam po Verde Solar
Ect or Count y Energy Cent er
Buf f alo Dunes Wind Proj ect
LEPA Unit No. 1
Car t y Generat ing St at ion
Deser t Sunlight 250, LLC
M esquit e Generat ing St at ion Block 1
M ont ana Power St at ion
Tucannon River Wind Farm
Grandview Wind Farm , LLC
Pat r iot Wind Farm
Silver St at e Solar Power Sout h
St at eline Solar
Odell Wind Farm
Cour t enay Wind Farm
Osage Wind, LLC
Walnut Ridge Wind Farm
Grande Prair ie Wind Farm
L V Sut t on Com bined Cycle
Brookf ield
Pat t ern Panhandle Wind 2 LLC
M iam i Wind Energy Cent er
Wake Wind Energy Cent er
Buckeye Wind Energy Cent er
Roosevelt Count y
Longhorn Wind
TX Heref ord Wind
Spinning Spur Wind I I I
Cross Winds Energy Park
Red Hor se 2
Elk Station
Keechi Wind
Warsaw Farm
Bison 4 Wind Energy Cent er
Highland Wind Proj ect ( IA)
Lundgren Wind Proj ect
Pilot Hill Wind Farm
Balko Wind LLC
Kingf isher Wind LLC
Copper M ount ain Solar 3
Or igin Wind
Goodwell Wind Proj ect LLC
Car lsbad Energy Cent er
Stonewall
M ar iah del Nor t e
Shannon Wind
Radf ords Run Wind Farm
St ella Wind Farm
Bruennings Breeze Wind Farm
Colbeck's Corner , LLC
Cove Point LNG Term inalLim on I I I Wind LLC
Holland Energy Park
Cam eron Wind 1 LLC
Chapm an Ranch Wind I
Pleasant Valley Wind Farm
Alam o 6
Wildcat Point Generat ion Facilit y
Windt hor st -2
Lorenzo Wind
Fluvanna
Hale Com m unit y Wind Farm
M am m ot h Plains
Rat t lesnake Creek Wind Proj ect
Seiling Wind I
Seiling Wind I I
Los Vient os Windpower I I I
Los Vient os Windpower IV
Kings M ount ain Energy Cent er
M iddlet own Energy Cent er
M esquit e Creek Wind
Gila River Power Block 1
Sout h Plains Wind Phase I
Red Gat e Power Plant
Logans Gap Wind LLC
Kay Wind, LLC
Palo Duro Wind
Wr ight Solar Par k
TX Jum bo Road Wind
Adam s Wind
Sendero
Com anche Solar
Br iscoe Wind Farm
Oregon Clean Energy Cent er
Car roll Count y Energy
Gila River Power Block 3
Wolf Ho l low II
Exelon West M edway I I LLC
CP Bloom Wind LLC
M oxie Freedom Generat ion Plant
Greensville Count y Power St at ion
Alpine Power Plant
RE Tranquillit y
Rat t lesnake Den
Deser t Wind Farm , LLC
Bearkat
Golden West Power Par t ner s LLC
RE Ast or ia
RE Ast or ia 2
RE Roserock
Grant Wind, LLC
Pecan Solar
Buckt horn West ex
Golden Hills Wind
Cedar Bluf f Wind, LLC
Sout h Plains I I
Javelina Wind Energy, LLC
Colorado Bend I I
Cast le Gap Solar Hybr id
New Creek Wind
Broadview Energy JN, LLC
Solverde 1
Rockspr ings
Front ier Windpower
RE Gar land
Bluest em
Playa Solar 2
Bacl i ff
Keys Energy Cent er
Grady Wind Energy Cent er , LLC
O'Br ien Wind
Elect r a Wind Farm
Hor se Creek Wind Farm
Ida Grove Wind
Okeechobee Clean Energy Cent er
Lackawanna Energy Cent er
Old Set t ler Wind
Panda Hum m el St at ion LLC
Lam esa Solar
Clean Energy Fut ure-Lordst own, LLC
Bet hel Wind Farm LLC
Tenaska West m oreland Generat ing St at ion
Green River Wind Farm
Crowned Ridge Wind Energy Cent er
Crocker Wind Farm
Big Level Wind
Great West ern Wind Energy, LLC
Upt on Count y Solar
Kelly Creek Wind Proj ect
CPV Fair view Energy Cent er
Rush Spr ings Wind
Voyager Wind I
Rush Creek Wind
Ninnescah Wind Energy, LLC
Kingm an Wind
Javelina Wind Energy I I , LLC
Rock Creek Wind Proj ect
Osborn Wind Energy
Cim ar ron Bend Wind Proj ect I , LLC
West ern Plains Wind Farm
Gila River Power Block 2
Ast r a Wind Farm
Prair ie Wind Farm
Willow Spr ings Wind Farm
Derm ot t Wind
Salem Harbor St at ion NGCC
St . Char les Power St at ion (LA)
Sant a Rit a Wind Energy
Bir dsboro Power
Coyot e Ridge
Or ient Wind Farm
Beaver Creek Wind
Pine River Wind Park
M ount Signal Solar Farm V
Flat Top Wind I
St ut t gar t Solar
Thunder Ranch Wind Proj ect
Red Dir t Wind Proj ect
Karankawa Wind LLC
Red Pine Wind Proj ect
M idway Solar - TX
Foard Cit y Wind
Upland Prair ie
English Farm s
Voyager Wind I I
Tur t le Creek Wind Farm LLC
Dent on Energy Cent er
Balm Solar
Lit hia Solar
Seabrook Solar
Hillt opper Wind Proj ect
M eadow Lake Wind Farm VI LLC
M idway Wind, LLC
Live Oak Wind Proj ect
Upst r eam Wind Energy LLC
Bishop Hill I I I
Diam ond Vist a Wind Proj ect , LLC
Rio Bravo Windpower , LLC
Per sim m on Creek Wind Farm 1, LLC
Phoebe Solar
M cGinness Hills 3
Tahoka Wind
Arm adillo Flat s Wind Proj ect , LLC
Techren Solar I I LLC
Prat t Wind, LLC
Tor recillas Wind Energy, LLC
Solom on Forks Wind Proj ect , LLC
Colonial Trail West
Glacier s Edge Wind Proj ect
Sant a Rit a East
Arbor Hill Wind Farm
Nor t h English
M est eno
Ranchero Wind Farm LLC
Locket t Windf arm
SR Ar lingt on I I
Em m ons-Logan Wind, LLC
Lapet us
Prair ie Queen Wind Farm
Blue Sum m it I I I Wind
Quit m an Solar
Crooked Run
Palm et t o Plains
Ida Grove I I
Canadian Breaks, LLC
Gut enberg Solar
Tinker
ERCOT sometimes gets
more than half its electric
energy from wind!
5
Texas Generation Sources and Home
Heating Sources
Image Source: www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=47116
Texas population is growing, increasing 16% from 25.1 million in 2010
to 29.2 million on 2020
6
Texas Population Density
85% of population
is along or east of
the I35 corridor
(DFW to Waco to
Austin to San
Antonio to Laredo)
7
Texas Near Total Blackout,
February 14-18, 2021• Unfortunately electric grids often make the news for
all the wrong reasons!
• Starting on Feb 14, 2021 statewide
Texas had temperatures much
below avg., though not record cold
– In College Station on Feb 15 is low was 9F and very windy
(and 5F on Feb 16); avg. high is 65F and low of 45F
– Our record low is -3F (1/31/1949), our
coldest February temperature was 5F
(2/5/1951) and last single digit was 9F
(12/22/1989)
• This stressed many infrastructures
including the ERCOT electric grid8
ERCOT Generation Feb 11-18, 2021
9
Image source: New York Times, Feb 23, 2021
Important Electric Grid Considerations
• Electricity cannot be economically stored
– Generation must be continually adjusted to match changes
in electric load and losses
• Electric power flows on high
voltage transmission lines
cannot usually be
directly controlled
– Control is mostly indirect,
by changing generation
• Customers have been in control of their load
• Transmission system has finite limits; often operated
close to its limit for economic reasons
10
Electric Grid Time Frames
Image: Sauer, P.W., M. A. Pai, Power System Dynamics and Stability, Stripes Publishing, 2007
11
Quick Aside: Power System Dynamic
Response to Load/Gen Mismatch• An electric grid frequency is constantly changing, but it
usually within a few mHz of desired (e.g., 60 Hz)
• Too much generation increases the frequency and
too little decreases it
• All grid elements
have the same
average frequency
but during
disturbances the
frequency can
oscillate
12
ERCOT Frequency, Feb 15, 2021
Image source: ERCOT Presentation by Bill Magness, February 25, 2021
13
ERCOT Load Shed and
Rotating Blackouts• The vast majority of the lost load was due to load
shed and then rotating blackouts
Image source: ERCOT Presentation by Bill Magness, February 25, 2021
ERCOT peak load is
74.8 GW (summer);
winter peak of 69.2 GW
was set on 2/14/21
(previous winter peak
was 65.9 GW)
14
How can Grids Cascade?
• ERCOT reported that they were minutes away from
a catastrophic blackout that would have taken down
the entire grid, requiring many days to restore
• Grids can cascade due to a number of different
reasons with many related to the transmission grid
flows and voltages
• For ERCOT the situation was the
prolonged (minutes) low frequency
would have result in generators
tripping due to under frequency
resulting in a cascading collapse
in the frequency and hence the entire system
15
How Much Generation Capacity was Lost?
This and following images are from a 4/27/21 ERCOT presentation
16
How Much Generation was Lost?
This slide
recognizes
what would
actually have
been available17
Lost Natural Gas Generation
30
GW
25
GW
20
GW
15
GW
10
GW
5
GW
0
GW
Sunday
(2/14)
Monday
(2/15)
Tuesday
(2/16)
Wednesday
(2/17)
Thursday
(2/18)
Friday
(2/19) Existing
Outages Fuel
Limitations
Miscellaneous
Equipment
Issues
Transmission
Loss
Weather
Related
Frequency
Related
18
Winterizing Wind Turbines
• In general wind turbines can operate in quite low
temperatures
• However, most of the wind turbines in Texas were
not configured with the systems needed to deal with
low temperatures
– They mostly were not available because of turbine blade
icing
• Wind turbines can be winterized with systems such
as heated blades or coatings; packages can also be
installed to protect the gearbox and motors, such as
adding heating to the nacelle
19
Why Were Electric Prices High?
• In ERCOT, like much of the rest of the country,
electricity is priced using a locational marginal price
(LMP) market, that has both day-ahead and real-time
markets
– The price of electric varies by
location and time of day
• Usually the price is relatively low
say $30/MWh (or $0.03 by kWh)
• It had been capped at $9000/MWh
but this was recently lowered in
March 2021 to $2000/MWh
• Operating for days at price was considered unlikely!
20
Background: Why is ERCOT Separate
• ERCOT operates asynchronous from the rest of
North America, but has high voltage dc (HVDC) ties
with the Eastern Interconnect and Mexico
• The advantage is ERCOT avoids some federal
regulation. The legal basis for this is complex,
based on the US Constitution,
the Federal Power Act,
the 5/4/76 midnight
connection, other
legislation, court rulings,
and FERC decisions
Image Source: aect.net/documents/2017/AECT%20LSB%20012617.pdf
21
High Voltage Direct Current
(HVDC) Transmission• Most electricity is transmitted in ac form, at either 60
or 50 Hz (with 60 Hz in North America)
• HVDC is sometimes used to transmit electricity
either within an interconnect or between
interconnects (back-to-back HVDC)
– Within an interconnect, HVDC is usually used for long
distance transfer, or in underground or undersea cables
• HVDC avoids issues with reactive power, but incurs
the costs associated with the rectification (ac to dc)
and inversion (dc to ac)
• HVDC power flow can be quickly controlled
(milliseconds)
22
Southern Cross HVDC
Transmission Project• The Texas Public Utility Commission has approved
an application to build a 38 mile, 345 kV ac
transmission line to connect to a 400 mile long, 500
kV HVDC between the Mississippi/Alabama and the
Louisiana/Texas borders
– As planned it would have a capacity
of 2000 MW
– It could be operational in 2022 with a
cost that might be more than $1 billion
– Up-to-date information on the project is
available at
www.ercot.com/mktrules/puctDirectives/southernCross
Image source: southerncrosstransmission.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/SC_factsheet_2021_V3.pdf
23
Joining the East and West Grids
• In 2020 we did a research project for SPP looking at
an ac interconnection of the East and West grids
– This did not include ERCOT, but did include parts of Texas
• There are nine locations where the grids are close
and could be tied together
• The study required lots of dynamic simulations using
quite detailed full system models (transient stability
level, 110,000 buses)
• The result was there are no show stoppers to doing
this, and there could be good benefits!
24
East-West Combined Grid
The study included Canada but we did not consider any ac
interconnections between the grids in Canada; the grids were
connected at nine points from Montana to New Mexico
25
WECC Frequency Response:
With and Without the AC Interconnection
The graph
compares the
frequency
response for three
WECC buses for
a severe
contingency with
the interface
(thick lines) and
without (thin
lines)
26
AC-Tie Interface, Severe Contingency
Interface 2001 (EI_To_WECC_AC) MW
Time
302520151050
Inte
rface 2
001 (
EI_
To_W
EC
C_A
C)
MW
2,600
2,400
2,200
2,000
1,800
1,600
1,400
1,200
1,000
800
600
400
200
Interface 2001 (EI_To_WECC_AC) MW
The large, and
seemingly
persistent,
change in the
interface flow
required the
need for
modeling the
system’s longer
term AGC
response.
27
Adding AGC Modeling
• As noted following any disturbance about 80% of
the governor response will occur in the East, with
the change in flow going across the new ac interface
if the disturbance is in the West.
• The governors don’t restore the system frequency to
its setpoint value; rather this is done by the
automatic generation control (AGC) utilizing the
balancing authority area control error (ACE) signal
• The ACE has a frequency component
ACE = Pactual - Psched – 10b(freqact - freqsched)
b is the frequency bias; it has a negative sign, units of
MW/0.1 Hz and is about 1% of the peak load/generation
28
Interface Flow with AGC Modeling
Time (Seconds)3603303002702402101801501209060300
Flo
w (
East to
West)
MW
2,600
2,400
2,200
2,000
1,800
1,600
1,400
1,200
1,000
800
600
400
200
0
MW, Interface 2001 (EI_To_WECC_AC)
gfedcb
The AGC studies were
run for up to six minutes
with emergency
transactions
implemented. Graph
shows a WECC
generator loss
contingency with the
emergency transactions
between WECC utilities.
How fast the interface
flow returns to normal
depends on how fast the
MW transactions ramp.
29
Situational Awareness
• A key challenge with this project was understanding
the results of these dynamic studies
– Even a 30 second study produced many GBs of results
• Situational awareness (SA) is defined informally as
“knowing what’s going on” and more formally as “the
perception of the elements in the environment within
a volume of time and space, the comprehension of
their meaning and the projection of their status in
the near future”
• In this study we wanted to have good SA to make
sure we didn’t miss something
30
Situational Awareness Techniques
• For this project we leveraged a number of different
techniques and developed some new ones including
– Time-domain graphs
– Geographic data views including planar flow visualizations
– Contours
– Animation (movies)
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Results Example at 2.0 Seconds
This
visualization is
using geographic
data views and a
contour to show
the response of
the 110,000 bus
model; red
values are
frequencies less
than 60 Hz
32
Results Example at 12 Seconds and
Three MinutesBottom image shows the
results after three minutes,
with the AGC response
allowing the generator loss
to be picked up with WECC
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ERCOT-East-West Transmission
Public Source Map: www.nerc.com/comm/CIPC/Agendas%20Highlights%20and%20Minutes%202013/2015%20December%20Compiled%20Presentations.pdf
Orange is
345 kV,
Red is 500
kV
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An ac interconnection would probably be the least expensive approach
to greatly increase the ERCOT import/export capability
Broadening to Electric Grid Resiliency
• The ability of electric grids to resiliently respond to
high impact, low frequency events is an important
but often overlooked aspect of operation, design
and research
– There is always a tradeoff between risk and mitigation cost
• The best reference we know of is the free 2017
report from the US National Academies titled,
“Enhancing the Resilience of the Nation’s Electricity
System”
– It does mention the threat of cold weather, and specifically
mentions the February 2011 Texas cold snap
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The Grid Needs to Be Resilient to Lots of
Disturbances on Different Time Frames• Events short and long-term
– Lightning strikes can usually be
cleared within seconds
– But ice, tornados and hurricanes can
bring large-scale damage over long
timer periods
• Need to consider all operating
conditions
Image Derived From L.H. Fink and K. Carlsen, Operating under stress and strain, IEEE Spectrum, March 1978, pp. 48-53
36
Some Electric Grid Risks
(National Academies 2017 Report)
37
Some Electric Grid Risks
And many more! But all
need to be considered from
a risk/benefit perspective
Earthquakes
Ice storms
Hurricanes Hurricane risk image source: USGS
High-Impact, Low-Frequency Events
• In order to enhance electric grid resiliency we need
to consider the almost unthinkable events
• These include what the
North American Electric
Reliability Corporation
(NERC) calls High-Impact,
Low-Frequency Events
(HILFs); others call them
black sky days
– Large-scale, potentially long duration blackouts
– HILFs identified by NERC were 1) a coordinated cyber,
physical or blended attacks, 2) pandemics, 3) geomagnetic
disturbances (GMDs), and 4) HEMPs
Image Source: NERC, 2012
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Cyber-Physical Considerations
• Effectively operating the grid involves a heavy
interaction between humans, the cyber and the
physical; maintaining situational awareness will be
key and is a crucial area for more research
• This is an often overlook area of research because it
is so challenging.
• The number of couplings between the grid and other
infrastructures is growing
– Electrification of transportation
• We need realistic simulations that can consider key
aspects of the electric grid and coupled
infrastructures
Increasing Resiliency
• The National Academies 2017 report has lots of
specific recommendations
• All recommendations need to be considered from a
cost-benefit point of view
– we can’t prevent all blackouts, but we need to mitigate the
effects of severe HILF events
• Electric grid analysis tools need to be designed to
handle severe events, allowing events to be
simulated and appropriate mitigation plans to be
developed
– What would we do if “?” Example, if temperatures in
College Station went to -3F (like in 1949)?
Conclusion
• The electric grid is crucial to our society, and for
decades into the future we will be relying on it
• The Texas 2021 event illustrates a vulnerability
• A perfect electric grid is impossible, and we need to
be prepared for long-term, wide-area blackouts
• However, much can and should be done to reduce
to reduce this risk
• A broad, sustained effort is needed in this area
including the entire electric grid sector
• Focusing on the interaction between the cyber,
physical and the humans will be key
42
Thank you and Questions
43
