Texas
New Gas Storage Facility Arrives Just In Time For The Texas Grid
HOUSTON, TEXAS – DECEMBER 14: Pablo Vegas, president and CEO of ERCOT, left, Texas Governor Greg … [+]
Houston Chronicle via Getty Images
As a major sub-freezing arctic weather system makes its way down to Texas in the coming days, concerns are rising again about the ability of the state’s power grid, managed by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), and natural gas delivery systems to handle the load. But with many citizens worried about the ability of ERCOT to avoid blackouts as forecasts predict the entire state to see sub-freezing temperatures for several days next week, CEO Pablo Vegas said generation capacity won’t be a problem.
“The power is not going to go out because we don’t have enough supply to meet demand for this week. We’ve got plenty of power for the demand and for the cold weather that’s coming. So, the grid’s gonna be running stably,” Vegas told Dallas/Fort Worth ABC affiliate WFAA Tuesday.
While local service interruptions such as downed power lines are always a possibility during major weather events, Vegas’s high level of confidence stems from grid reforms implemented in the wake of 2021’s deadly Winter Storm Uri, and from the large amount of generation capacity that has been added to the grid since that time.
New Gas Storage Arrives Just In Time
Most of that added capacity is intermittent, weather dependent solar power, a small percentage of which is backed up with stationary batteries, which will help keep homes heated during daylight hours. But additional natural gas baseload generation has also come online in recent years, and weatherization and other improvements mandated by the legislature and regulators should serve to prevent the kinds of system freeze-ups that took place during Uri.
For the first time in several years, a major new greenfield natural gas storage facility is also coming online in Texas, just in time to help provide stability and flexibility to the gas distribution system for the coming storm. On Thursday, Trinity Gas Storage announced commencement of operations at its 24 bcf (billion cubic feet) storage unit located near Carthage in East Texas, about 160 miles southeast of Dallas.
Because it is connected into an array of gas transmission lines and local distribution networks, the Trinity facility is able to help manage storage and direct gas flows not just into the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex and East Texas, but also to markets and power plants in and around Houston and Austin.
In an interview on Wednesday, I asked Trinity Gas Storage CEO Jim Goetz about the reasons why gas storage capacity has lagged the rapid growth of gas demand and pipeline capacity in Texas. “I think it boils down to two factors,” he says, “First, there’s the geological kind of requirements that have to be met. It’s not like we can just say, hey, this is a good spot for storage. You need either a depleted reservoir or a salt dome that’s conducive for the task.”
The second factor Goetz mentions is one that has been a common theme for oil and gas-related projects in recent years: A lack of access to capital in a world that for several years became dominated by the ESG philosophy. “That ESG movement drove folks, particularly the capital providers, away from hydrocarbon activity,” Goetz says, adding that things have changed over the past year. The result is that five private equity groups, with Transition Equity Partners, LLC in the lead sponsor role, are backing the project.
Complaints and horror stories about permitting delays have permeated the U.S. energy space in recent years, but such delays are not a part of the story for this specific facility. Trinity was able to get the project fully permitted very quickly, in large part because it was not required to deal with the federal government. Goetz speaks highly of the Texas Railroad Commission, whose employees worked diligently to ensure timely processing of the permits once all requirements and notifications were met.
“We operate under Rule 96 under the Texas Railroad Commission,” Goetz says. “From the time we submitted our application through full approval took around five months. We had full blown disclosures to all the relevant parties. There was no shortcutting of the principled things that must be done to make sure that all the affected parties are noticed and have the ability to weigh in. But you still can get it done in a very timely fashion.”
Plans for Future Gas Storage Expansion
Goetz says Trinity is already working on plans for future expansion. Noting that the underground formation being accessed is capable of holding and managing up to 50 bcf of gas, Goetz says he didn’t feel comfortable trying to raise the capital for a project that size given past market conditions, a factor he now says is “ironic” with the benefit of hindsight.
But the conditions have obviously changed now, resulting in the happy fact that, “we now have oversupply. We have more interested customers than we do have capacity to serve them. So, we’ve already laid out plans for phase two.”
Since 2010, data compiled by the U.S. Energy Information Administration shows that natural gas demand has risen by 60% and gas pipeline capacity has grown by about 30% during the same period. By comparison, storage capacity grew by just 8%.
Big energy data and analytics firm Enverus Intelligence Research recently projected that the U.S. is about to experience a significant boom in the construction of new natural gas power plants to meet rapidly rising power demand. This means a corresponding expansion of gas storage capacity will also need to take place, not just in Texas, but across the country. The business case for doubling capacity at the Trinity facility seems obvious.
The Bottom Line
The story of American energy growth has always been a story built in large part just in time delivery, and this is a good example. With capital markets now following the industry trend of the last two years of re-prioritizing energy security requirements over virtue signaling about ESG, it appears that market conditions are realigning just in time to help facilitate that expansion. Readers can expect to see more stories like this one about Trinity Gas Storage in the months and years to come.
As the Texas A&M Aggies head into Year 2 under head coach Mike Elko, it seems the expectations are rising. That is despite a disappointing finish to his first season, where the Aggies lost four of their final five games.
Yet, after a productive offseason where Texas A&M has garnered praise from the national media as they filled holes on their roster via the transfer portal in addition to signing the nation’s No. 9 ranked recruiting class, there is a narrative building that the Aggies’ season-opening game versus Notre Dame is a “must-win.”
Gigem 247’s Jeff Tarpley is a believer in the notion that the Aggies’ trip to South Bend, Indiana, is a “must-win” as he believes it is time the athletic department and its donors see a return on investment.
“I talked about this last year a little bit in terms of the fact that that if they gave your predecessor 76 million to go away and you come a lot cheaper than that, there’s going to be more pressure on you to perform right away,” Tarpley said during a recent appearance on ESPN Central Texas radio. “It didn’t help that it was Elko’s first game ever and so A&M didn’t have the benefit of either him or his players learning on the job in preseason. But there is going to be even more pressure now since they lost to this same Notre Dame last year to open the season, and they went one and four down the stretch this year.”
Tarpley even went as far as to compare Elko’s situation heading into this coming season to Marcus Freeman’s last year with Notre Dame. The 39-year-old head coach inherited the program from Brian Kelly, who took the Irish as far as an appearance in a national championship game over his 11-year tenure.
Although Freeman got off to a solid start as he won 19 games in his first two seasons with the Irish, there was pressure building for him to take them to that next level of making the College Football Playoff.
However, there is a key difference between the two. According to Tarpley, Elko is now facing similar pressure heading into just his second season in charge of the Aggies. No, it is not job pressure, rather just competitive pressure, as the Aggies are still paying Jimbo Fisher to not be on the sidelines on top of the cost it takes to build a talented roster.
Opening a season on the road is never easy, especially when having to make the trip a potentially hostile enviroment like South Bend. But it is those type of games, where Texas A&M is facing another top-25 ranked team that Elko will be expected to deliver wins against.
Especially so if the goal is make the College Football Playoff, then a season-opening win over the Irish could be an early showcase win for the Aggies on their path to securing a top-12 seed.
Michigan basketball coach Dusty May swings for the fences
Michigan basketball coach Dusty May swings for the fences in U-M softball’s charity fundraiser
Michigan softball’s perfect start to the Women’s College World Series came to an end Saturday afternoon, with the Wolverines lasting just five innings due to the run-ahead rule, losing 16-4 vs. Austin regional host Texas at McCombs Field.
Michigan will face the winner of UCF-Eastern Illinois at 6 p.m. in an elimination game.
On a scolding hot day with temperatures on the field reaching 110 degrees, according to the ESPN broadcast, the Wolverines were the first to get on the board when Lilly Vallimont singled to left to drive in Indiana Langford for a 1-0 lead.
It took the Longhorns almost no time to respond. In the top of the second inning, Katie Stewart led things off for Texas by slugging a home run to tie the game at 1-1.
Then in the third inning, the game got really crazy. Texas’ Reese Atwood smashed a three-run home run to take a 4-1 lead before Stewart hit her second home run of the game on the very next pitch to put the Longhorns firmly in control. But that was just the top of the inning.
In what will surely be one of the more unlikely plays of the whole College World Series, Langford laid down a bunt to start the inning that miraculously turned into a Little League home run when Texas launched the throw all the way into the right-field corner. Langford turned on the jets and just kept running before eventually sliding into home for a relatively easy score to make it 5-2. Three pitches later, Jenissa Conway blasted a home run to cut further into the lead, 5-3.
However, it was all Texas after that point. The Longhorns blew the game open in the fourth, hitting three more home runs to help them score nine runs in the top of the inning and jump out to a 14-3 lead.
Michigan added a run in the bottom half of the fourth inning, but Texas made it 16-4 in the top of the fifth and the Wolverines couldn’t get the game within seven runs by the fifth inning, so the game ended due to the mercy rule.
Since the regionals in the CWS are double elimination, the Wolverines are not out of the tournament, needing a win later Saturday evening.
Andrew Birkle is the assistant sports editor at the Free Press. Contact him at andrew_birkle on “X” or via email at abirkle@freepress.com.
With severe weather frequently impacting North Texas, homeowners often wonder: What does my insurance policy actually cover? Do I have the right coverage? What happens after filing a claim?
Insurance expert Rich Johnson, communications director for the Insurance Council of Texas, advises homeowners to review their policy carefully, starting with the first few pages.
CBS News Texas
“The main thing to do is look at the first couple of pages of the policy,” Johnson said.
These pages typically outline wind and hail coverage, which may vary depending on location. Some homeowners may have a separate policy through the FAIR Plan or TWFG.
Johnson emphasizes the importance of understanding deductibles, particularly for hail and wind damage, which differ from deductibles for fire or plumbing issues.
“It’s usually between 1% and 5% of the insured value of your home,” he explained.
If a home is damaged by severe weather, Johnson recommends taking photos and making temporary repairs before filing a claim.
“Get that claim in as soon as possible so you’re on the list for an adjuster to inspect your house,” he said.
When hiring contractors, Johnson advises homeowners to choose local businesses and seek recommendations from friends and neighbors to avoid scams.
“A couple of red flags: if they’re out of state, don’t have a licensing number, or say they’ll waive your deductible—that’s actually illegal in Texas,” he warned.
Scammers should be reported to insurance providers, local police, and the Texas Department of Insurance, which handles fraud cases.
Johnson also notes that inflation and frequent severe weather are driving up repair costs and insurance premiums, affecting both home and auto insurance.
“We’re seeing weather impact insurance rates more severely and more frequently,” he said.
Springfield men indicted on drug trafficking charges in Vermont
Winning numbers drawn in Sunday’s Virginia Pick 3 Evening
Kandace Washington speaks following passing of son Kyren Lacy
Chilly Night Across Southern Wisconsin
'It's not a West Virginia problem, it's a nationwide issue': SAPR programs to combat milit
-
Austin, TX1 week agoBest Austin Salads – 15 Food Places For Good Greens!
-
World1 week agoNew German chancellor aims for stronger EU ties with France and Poland
-
Technology1 week agoThe best iPad to buy
-
News1 week agoJudge Orders Release of Rumeysa Ozturk, Tufts Student Detained by ICE
-
Indiana1 week agoStar-filled roster for Team Indiana at Saturday’s Prep Ball Stars Midwest Challenge
-
News1 week agoTrump cuts tariffs on U.K. cars, steel and aluminum but keeps 10% base duty
-
Business1 week agoA Decade-Long Search for a Battery That Can End the Gasoline Era
-
Lifestyle1 week agoA Guide to Bravo’s New Shows, Including “Wife Swap: The Real Housewives Edition”