Colorado Springs Utilities (stores, propane, natural gas)

[Vision67]

Colorado Springs Utilities sets record for electricity consumed during record-setting cold

"Colorado Springs Utilities set a record Sunday for the most electricity consumed on a winter day as temperatures across the city reached sub-zero lows.

Residents consumed 16,621 megawatt-hours of power that day, surpassing the previous winter peak of 16,593 megawatt-hours consumed on Feb. 1, 2011, according to Utilities. However, the usage remained below the summer peak of 17,751 set in July 2019, Utilities data showed. Colorado Springs electricity usage tends to peak in the summer when air conditioners are running.

The extended widespread cold snap over the weekend put pressure on utilities across the country with 14 states experiencing rolling blackouts Monday, the New York Times reported. The blackouts extended from northern states such as Minnesota south to Louisiana, New Mexico and parts of Texas. In Colorado Springs, the city hit record lows on Sunday and Monday.

Colorado Springs Utilities called on customers to conserve energy ahead of the cold weekend as a preventative measure, but ultimately the system didn't experience any problems because it is prepared for extreme demands, CEO Aram Benyamin said.

"We stress the system for what you saw here plus more, " he said.

In Texas, blackouts were caused when natural gas, coal and wind turbine generation experienced problems with production because of the cold, CNN reported.

Colorado Springs Utilities has layers of backup systems in place to avoid what other communities' experienced, Benyamin said. For example, natural gas generators could kick in to provide extra supply should the system see a disruption, he said.

The system also has stores of propane it can manufacture into natural gas should gas pipelines burst or pumps seize because of cold weather, he said.

The city contracts for wind energy from northeast Colorado, but if the turbines have mechanical problems the operator is still required to provide the city power as part of its contract, Benyamin said. "

[otowi]

Whatever one thinks of CSU, I'm glad they had the infrastructure in place to not go the way of Texas....

[Vision67]

I think CSU does an excellent job. Dependability of service is my top priority.

Also, their rates are reasonable.

[LHS79]

Originally Posted by otowi

Whatever one thinks of CSU, I'm glad they had the infrastructure in place to not go the way of Texas....

We now know gas and "some" coal will be around for a VERY long time. Seems like there are huge issues with solar and turbines in sub zero weather.

I agree- CSU is awesome.

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by otowi

Whatever one thinks of CSU, I'm glad they had the infrastructure in place to not go the way of Texas....

Originally Posted by Vision67

I think CSU does an excellent job. Dependability of service is my top priority. Also, their rates are reasonable.

Originally Posted by LHS79

... I agree- CSU is awesome.

Ditto on all those sentiments. In my 11 years in the city we had great service and lower rates since it's a city-owned utility firm.

[wong21fr]

Originally Posted by LHS79

We now know gas and "some" coal will be around for a VERY long time. Seems like there are huge issues with solar and turbines in sub zero weather.

I agree- CSU is awesome.

The OG boys are pushing the narrative that renewables are unreliable in cold weather which is only a half-truth at best. Wind turbines did ice over, but the majority of the power that was lost in TX was thermal generation due to decreases in the availability of natural gas because of heating demand increases and supply constraints from wellhead and pipelines freezing. OG boys and TX utilities failed to winterize their **** and this will come to light in the reviews that will be done.

TX, like CA this summer, is the system operator failing to plan for such severe weather events and not fortifying their systems.

[LHS79]

Originally Posted by wong21fr

The OG boys are pushing the narrative that renewables are unreliable in cold weather which is only a half-truth at best. Wind turbines did ice over, but the majority of the power that was lost in TX was thermal generation due to decreases in the availability of natural gas because of heating demand increases and supply constraints from wellhead and pipelines freezing. OG boys and TX utilities failed to winterize their **** and this will come to light in the reviews that will be done.

TX, like CA this summer, is the system operator failing to plan for such severe weather events and not fortifying their systems.

That is what I saw too- TX. never expected cold weather (!) and took the cheap route in regards to turbine protection.

Lessons leaned (hopefully).

[wong21fr]

Originally Posted by LHS79

That is what I saw too- TX. never expected cold weather (!) and took the cheap route in regards to turbine protection.

Lessons leaned (hopefully).

Hopefully. There's some gnarly pictures on the web of frozen over gas plants on the east side of TX with nary a bit of insulation.

That one of TX's reactor units also went down due to the cold is really concerning- nukes should/are the last line of generation in such weather events.

[Mike from back east]

Regarding the Texas mess I've read in the past few days that Texas deliberately has NO connections to the electric grid outside of Texas with the intent being to avoid any dealings with Federal energy regulators. (Aim at foot, pull trigger, expect blue states to bail out your dumbass.)

[otowi]

Originally Posted by LHS79

We now know gas and "some" coal will be around for a VERY long time. Seems like there are huge issues with solar and turbines in sub zero weather.

I agree- CSU is awesome.

Well, TX had other issues of which solar/wind was a very small part - they disconnected themselves from the national grid, and their oil/gas, which is still like 80-something percent of their power, also failed, because they did not develop infrastructure for any of their power network for this kind of scenario, opting instead to line a few pockets a bit more.

Yay CSU!