justin_o_guy2
Serious Thumper
   
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What happened?
Posts: 55279
East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.
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Why Are Coal Plants Closing All Over Texas? A coal plant based in Vernon, Texas announced that it will shut down operations in 2020. It’s the fifth plant that has closed or announced its closure this year. The 700-megawatt plant stated that the reason behind its decision to close was due to its inability to compete in the energy market. This follows a nationwide trend of coal-fired power plants shutting down across the nation.
Will It Affect Reliability in ERCOT? With a trend of coal power closures, some may worry about whether or not the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) will be able to keep up with energy demands. These five coal plants made up 22 percent of the state’s coal capacity, after all. However, the reason for these closures has more to do with profitability as cheaper options become available. As the market shifts, so too does the reliance on coal for power.
Are Tax Break for Renewable Energy Causing Coal Plants to Shut Down? Natural gas-fired generators, where a majority of Texans get their power, are cheaper, cleaner, more efficient and therefore more competitive than coal for power production.
Last year, Texans received 18 percent of their energy generation from renewables. While federal incentives for wind has made it cheaper to create wind farms projects in Texas, the Renewable Electricity Production Tax Credit (PTC) began stepping down in 2017. It will phase out at the end of 2019. Still, as companies rush to build more wind farms before the credit expires, look for customers to switch electricity providers, looking for renewable energy plans in Dallas.
Well, Lookie There. What had been working got shut down because someone hated the coal industry and operating the old system got too expensive. What happens when one part of the grid starts to fail? Don't they shunt power from where it's working over to where they need help? I'm not saying that is how it works, it's a question. Places struggling to be competitive might not get the best maintenance. You can answer the question, you can keep telling me how the green stuff had no impact. I remember what you said. But type it again if you're so inclined. Something is wrong when Texas can't get the power to the people.
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