Kickstart: Texas at risk of rolling blackouts as power grid faces heat, high demand

Freezing temperatures brought down the power grid in Texas in early 2021, leading to resin shortages for months after the storm because chemical production sites had to close down due to the cold and power loss. In 2023, it's heat that is putting the power grid at risk.

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) went into emergency operations on Sept. 6 for the first time since the winter storm of 2021. "Conservation is critical," the state agency noted in a news alert. Although it did not have rolling blackouts, ERCOT noted they "could become necessary if demand isn't lowered or additional supply cannot be added from generators."

Continued extreme heat — temperatures are expected to top 100° F every day through the weekend in Austin, Texas — and record demand for power were expected to continue pushing the power grid's capacity through at least Sept. 8.

The sizzling summer has already led to 10 all-time peak demand records for ERCOT. Tony Bennett, president and CEO of the Texas Association of Manufacturers, says industrial customers have been doing their part to adapt and keep the system operating.

"Industrial loads were called upon to shut down their operations and help stabilize the grid and they responded," he said in a statement. "Many reduced their usage voluntarily, while others were retained by ERCOT in advance to address this type of unexpected situation."

Plastics News is looking for leaders in sustainability.

In case you missed it earlier this week, PN has opened a nomination process seeking Notable Leaders in Sustainability. And we're looking for people who go beyond the basics.

"This inaugural class will be highly selective," Editor Don Loepp writes.

Honors will go to individuals who have senior leadership positions for sustainability at work and are active in their communities and in professional organizations.

"We feel that there has never been a more appropriate time to recognize the individuals and organizations that are driving progress toward sustainability. Global challenges related to the environment, including climate change and pollution, are growing more urgent every day," Don notes.

The 2023 Notable Leaders will be featured in the Nov. 20 issue of Plastics News. Find the link for nominations here.

Let's all welcome Florida Man back to Kickstart!

In 2021, we mentioned Reza Baluchi and his attempt to travel from Florida to New York via a homemade "hydro pod" made of aluminum and large plastic balls — a device that resembled a human-size hamster wheel.

He was arrested after drifting ashore near Daytona.

Baluchi has now used a similar device to attempt to travel from the U.S. to London, only to be intercepted about 70 miles off the coast of Georgia by the U.S. Coast Guard.

This time, Baluchi refused to leave the pod when the Coast Guard found him, threatened to kill himself, then said he would detonate a bomb before he eventually surrendered on Sept. 1, the BBC writes.