The problem is Texas has know for over a decade that they needed to upgrade their gas and electric generation for colder weather and reserve capacity. They haven't keep up with added generation for their growth and are living on the edge.The big boys want to stay independent and have a monopoly on residents of Texas but they don't want to pay for the upgrades. The only reason Texas has wind power is it was basically free from the feds and added capacity. Funny that Iowa has the second most windmills of any state and they work. Natural gas works in even of the coldest parts of the US. They've been pocketing the funds that should have been used to upgrade their systems for years. It's plan mismanagement and watch how quickly they reach into our pockets and ask the feds to upgrade their independent grid.
Iowa did not get the ice Texas did so maybe that's it. I still do not understand the natural gas freeze up, our gas meters and pipe are outside, it gets to -30, 202 hours straight below zero, and it has never been an issue. We have run black iron gas line right on the ground to get heat in a garage till spring and it never freezes. Maybe it is like an airhose, when it goes thru an orifice it freezes? It kinda looks like some power plant onsite liquid natural gas storage and insulation might be the thing to do, before we go all government program and make it worse. I would like to hear from some engineers, maybe those in a cold weather state, that knows natural gas, and keep the politicians away to solve it.
