San Antonio utility bills (Houston, Alamo: neighborhood, school, price)

[Azure110]

Originally Posted by Montirob

I don't feel that all the bonuses should be skipped, however. There were workers out in the cold who absolutely deserve extra compensation. It's the typical attitude of CPS' administration that bothers me the most. They believe that they deserve high salaries and disproportionately high bonuses because they are responsible for the "tough decisions", but then they want to share the pain of lost bonuses when their decisions didn't work out.

I agree with you there 100%

Originally Posted by Montirob

The "rolling blackout" exercise was a complete failure, in my opinion. Parts of neighborhoods never lost power, and others would get it for 5 minutes at a time or be without for days (my experience). There was no equity in the distribution of power, and I feel for my neighbors whose houses literally fell to 32 degrees inside (we were lucky... it only dropped down to the low 40's in ours).

This is how my neighborhood seemed to be also. I personally never lost power either but neighbors did. I am curious if this is partly due to the fact I opted out of the smart meter rollout back in 2017. I am still on the old school analog meter.

[ged_782]

Originally Posted by Montirob

The "rolling blackout" exercise was a complete failure, in my opinion. Parts of neighborhoods never lost power, and others would get it for 5 minutes at a time or be without for days (my experience). There was no equity in the distribution of power, and I feel for my neighbors whose houses literally fell to 32 degrees inside (we were lucky... it only dropped down to the low 40's in ours).

Yes, many residents had no power for days, while others had uninterrupted power throughout the entire event.

If that many residents are sharing a circuit with critical infrastructure, then maybe CPS needs to consider isolating that critical infrastructure, such that it does not have thousands of residences sharing those critical circuits, thereby allowing a more equitable distribution of rolling blackouts in the future.

Originally Posted by Azure110

I agree with you there 100%





This is how my neighborhood seemed to be also. I personally never lost power either but neighbors did. I am curious if this is partly due to the fact I opted out of the smart meter rollout back in 2017. I am still on the old school analog meter.

Never thought of that angle, but if you alone never lost power, but all your neighbors did (I'm talking next door, behind you, across the street, etc.), then that raises the question. All I heard about was entire neighborhoods were blacked out, and others partially so, where some blocks had continuous power, and others didn't. But had not heard of any single residences with power surrounded by those that did not.

[Azure110]

Originally Posted by ged_782

Yes, many residents had no power for days, while others had uninterrupted power throughout the entire event.

If that many residents are sharing a circuit with critical infrastructure, then maybe CPS needs to consider isolating that critical infrastructure, such that it does not have thousands of residences sharing those critical circuits, thereby allowing a more equitable distribution of rolling blackouts in the future.

Never thought of that angle, but if you alone never lost power, but all your neighbors did (I'm talking next door, behind you, across the street, etc.), then that raises the question. All I heard about was entire neighborhoods were blacked out, and others partially so, where some blocks had continuous power, and others didn't. But had not heard of any single residences with power surrounded by those that did not.

Sorry. i didn't mean to make it sound like I was warlock in Live Free or Die Hard. It appeared to be like block by block.

[WilGar]

I don't believe the smart meter was a factor. I still have the old style and lost power along with my neighbors.

[Montirob]

Originally Posted by Azure110

Sorry. i didn't mean to make it sound like I was warlock in Live Free or Die Hard. It appeared to be like block by block.

That is how it was in our neighborhood as well - a set of streets with power and a set of streets without. It was really weird to see streets that had homes on one side that were dark (like me) and the other side bright.

[rynetwo]

Originally Posted by txbullsfan

From our (Texas') very own- Houston Chronical
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/pol...r-15964085.php



Please refer to the article I just linked to. Also, in the second paragraph of the Wikipedia link you linked to (bolding and underline mine):

"The Texas Interconnection is maintained as a separate grid for political, rather than technical reasons,[1] but can also draw some power from other grids using DC ties. By not crossing state lines, the synchronous power grid is in most respects not subject to federal (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) regulation.[2]"

So Texas is separate / lone wolfing it for political, not technical reasons. Texas can partially (but insufficiently) connect via minor ties should we choose but it isn't sufficient enough for significant emergencies (please read linked article).

Point #2 should have included the word *enough (power) because of this intentional grid isolation done for political and not technical reasons. Also, the second #2 was supposed to be #3 and so on. I can not go back and change either since it past the time to be able to edit.

This line in the article was sourced from that piece of _ _ _ _ publication Slate. If you read Slate and take it as fair then there is no need to talk to you anymore. The fact that Wiki uses them shows you their slant and lack of quality too.

Slate is an online magazine that covers current affairs, politics, and culture in the United States. It is known, and sometimes criticized, for having adopted contrarian views, giving rise to the term "Slate Pitches". It has a generally liberal editorial stance. Wikipedia

Even Wiki knows it is not unbiased.

[RadiantBaby]

The grids in some neighborhoods, including affluent ones, isn't perfectly in grid-like pattern.

I'm in Alamo Heights, on a well-known street with smaller houses averaging 6k+ sq ft. While my immediate neighbors and I didn't have power for 6-7 hour spans at a time, folks two houses over did. It's just how the grid works. Luck of the draw.

Bottom line, people everywhere in this city- even very wealthy neighborhoods with politically influential people- were affected.

[JH6]

what kind of bucks are we talking about here?

spreading payments over ten years?

How much could my 75 dollar electric bill actually be?

750 dollars? 7500 dollars?

Nobody talks in real numbers, all i see is emotional response and no logic.

[resonator]

I dread the auto-withdraw I have with CPS. Could wipe me out.



The rolling blackouts at my house were not 'rolling' very fast, shortest one was over 8 hours, one was 14 hours.

[Azure110]

CPS turned off auto pay for the time being.