rolling blackouts this winter?? (2014, homes, new construction)

[rach5]

I just saw this article about the possibility of rolling blackouts this winter in case of an extended cold-snap. https://www.boston.com/news/local-ne...p_featurestack
Not sure what to make of this.

[OutdoorLover]

Apparently the issue is a shortage in natural gas product supply, which is also driving up natural gas prices. My understanding is that natural gas is produced domestically, and transported via pipelines. I am not understanding exactly the supply chain issues? Regarding supply chain issues more broadly, I've been reading about problems with port access, container supplies, truck driver shortages, foreign material shortages, etc affecting a host of domestic products, but how is natural gas being impacted?

P.S.
Ohhhh, apparently there is inadequate pipeline capacity to meet demand for natural gas for heating during the dead of winter AND natural gas for electricity generation - we have more natural gas power plants now. And of course, the NIMBYs and the environmentalists have opposed multiple natural gas supply pipeline projects for Massachusetts for years now, so we don't have more natural gas transportation capacity.

This article is about power prices in Maine, but this passage is relevant: "A contributing factor is inadequate pipeline capacity in the region to serve both heating needs and power plants on the coldest winter days. Environmental groups and public opposition have stalled pipeline expansion in recent years."
https://www.pressherald.com/2021/11/...tes-next-year/

[GeoffD]

The issue is NIMBY and Green forces combining to stop the expansion of those evil natural gas pipelines into Massachusetts from New York.

Long term, we need to shift to a mix of HydroQuebec, nukes, solar, and wind. Do a Brit-style law banning fossil fuels to heat new construction homes. Batteries and fuel cells. Etc. In the short term, we need gas pipeline capacity.

I finally bought a generator last month. I’m still reliant on natural gas for heat, hot water, cooking, and clothes dryer.

[OutdoorLover]

Originally Posted by GeoffD

The issue is NIMBY and Green forces combining to stop the expansion of those evil natural gas pipelines into Massachusetts from New York.

Long term, we need to shift to a mix of HydroQuebec, nukes, solar, and wind. Do a Brit-style law banning fossil fuels to heat new construction homes. Batteries and fuel cells. Etc. In the short term, we need gas pipeline capacity.

I finally bought a generator last month. I’m still reliant on natural gas for heat, hot water, cooking, and clothes dryer.

Yeah - I understand the issues with climate change and that we should do something about them, but agree that we also need to be pragmatic. We should be increasing installations of wind and solar power generation, but these systems won't be ready to take over all power generation needs for multiple decades - easily. In the meantime, we still need to heat our homes and have electrical power!

Also agree that while the old style nuclear plants using designs from the 1950s and 60s were rightfully retired, *some* use of the latest nuclear power plants, which are much safer than those were, would provide steady power output day and night, 365 days a year, and without any greenhouse gas emissions. The trouble again will be environmentalists and NIMBYs - between the two of them, almost no power sources are acceptable.

[porterhouse]

New nuclear is the way forward.

[BruinsGirl]

Yes, they are now “green energy”.
But this is a very expensive project. Possible only if Government invests.

Russia just built many of them in China, Turkey, Belarus. Many other countries requested them too.

[bostongymjunkie]

Doing without them will be much more costly.

[OutdoorLover]

Originally Posted by BruinsGirl

Yes, they are now “green energy”.
But this is a very expensive project. Possible only if Government invests.

Russia just built many of them in China, Turkey, Belarus. Many other countries requested them too.

Yes, nuclear reactors aren't cheap. Proponents say that some of the newer designs will also be cheap-er to construct than the "traditional" light water reactors. Some of the designs use small, modular reactors that would be built in a centralized facility, which would help to ensure uniform quality of construction, and cut project time lines as well. I believe the DOE selected a couple of designs, maybe not the most advanced, but the most ready to implement in the near term, for pilot scale evaluation. We'll see what can get federal regulatory approval for implementation as well as sufficient acceptance from the public.

[OutdoorLover]

Did some googling and thought I'd share re nuclear power plants. Canada's Ontario Power Generation utility has selected the GE-Hitachi BWRX-300 Generation III+ small modular light water reactor design for its Darlington site. This will be the first new nuclear reactor built in Canada in over 30 years, and so the selection of this design is significant.

This system is considerably simpler, cheaper, and safer than existing light water reactors deployed in the USA currently, which are considered Generation II designs, while this is as noted a Gen III+ design. Passive cooling systems are able to keep the system safe for 7 days following a loss of electrical power to pumps and/or a break in the piping. The BWRX-300 design is derived from the GE-Hitachi ESBWR, which was certified by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission back in 2014, and now the BWRX-300 is under regulatory review by the NRC. Regulatory risk should be pretty low since its an improvement on an approved design. Capital cost per megawatt is claimed to be 60% less than earlier designs and construction time is greatly reduced.

These actually sound pretty cool, and are certainly a big step up from our existing systems.

See:
https://nuclear.gepower.com/build-a-...rview/bwrx-300

https://www.powermag.com/darlington-...opg-selection/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5Vt8vJrvm4

[P Larsen]

Natural gas prices have dropped over the last 4 weeks. They are just not at their most recent historic lows. Here's a log chart.

https://www.macrotrends.net/2478/nat...storical-chart