Winterize

FERC last week approved new reliability standards to enhance grid reliability during extreme weather events such as Winter Storm Uri in February 2021.  Two years after Uri’s rampage across the U.S. South, during which hundreds died from hypothermia following blackouts that affected millions, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission implemented enhanced cold weather preparedness plans, generator…

The Texas Railroad Commission (RRC) has adopted rules designating the “critical” natural gas suppliers and customers during energy emergencies in the wake of last February’s Winter Storm Uri. The cold snap caused a 20% plunge in natural gas production in the south-central United States, dented pipeline exports to Mexico by as much as 1 Bcf/d,…

Maine Gov. John Baldacci has proposed a regional natural gas conservation effort with a goal of cutting gas consumption by 5% by 2011. Baldacci sent a letter last week to the governors of Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont proposing a joint conservation initiative with a targeted 1% reduction per year in gas consumption in each of the states.