My guess is that nobody understands the contents of this document. Let me explain a bit:
According to ERCOT, the measures taken by ERCOT and other state agencies may not prove sufficient to avoid rotating outages of as much as 4,000 MW. Moreover, ERCOT has been alerted that numerous generation units will be unable to operate at full capacity without violating federal air quality or other permit limitations.
Power Plants can run at loads higher than their nominal 100% load capacity. Usually, they are "held back" a bit to lower their risk of failure and to reduce emissions.
ERCOT anticipates that this Order may result in exceedance of emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, mercury, and carbon monoxide emissions, as well as wastewater release limits. To minimize adverse environmental impacts, this Order limits operation of dispatched units to the times and within the parameters determined by ERCOT for reliability purposes.
Sulfur Dioxide usually comes from burning coal or oil, Mercury from burning Coal, Nitrogen Oxide is generated when something burns (at higher temperatures). Basically, ERCOT wants to generate as much energy as they can with all their resources, without looking at environmental guidelines. Understandable.
with respect to any Specified Resource that is an ERCOT Generation Resource or Settlement Only Generator whose operator notifies ERCOT that the unit is unable, or expected to be unable, to produce at its maximum output due to an emission or effluent limit in any federal environmental permit, ERCOT shall ensure that such Specified Resource is only allowed to exceed any such limit during a period for which ERCOT has declared an Energy Emergency Alert (EEA) Level 2 or Level 3.
ERCOT is allowed to use all its resources to generate electricity even if their power plants would have to be shut down because of environmental limits. This includes their backup equipment which is usually used for very short time frames only.
**Literally nothing in this letter is a bombshell. **
My guess is that nobody understands the contents of this document. Let me explain a bit:
Power Plants can run at loads higher than their nominal 100% load capacity. Usually, they are "held back" a bit to lower their risk of failure and to reduce emissions.
Sulfur Dioxide usually comes from burning coal or oil, Mercury from burning Coal, Nitrogen Oxide is generated when something burns (at higher temperatures). Basically, ERCOT wants to generate as much energy as they can with all their resources, without looking at environmental guidelines. Understandable.
ERCOT is allowed to use all its resources to generate electricity even if their power plants would have to be shut down because of environmental limits. This includes their backup equipment which is usually used for very short time frames only.
**Literally nothing in this letter is a bombshell. **