Blackouts are a Real Threat.
Reliance on windmills could result in a cold winter in Washington.
In February of 2021, the state of Texas learned about the unreliability of wind energy, The Wall Street Journal reported at the time.
The winter of 2021 was a cold one in Texas, but most residents did not consider the possibility of losing the energy to heat their homes. When an unusual storm hit, many Texas residents were faced with blackouts that lasted for several days.
Wind farms are obligated by contract to provide energy but when the windmills don’t work, they are forced to purchase electricity on the wholesale market. Prices can be astronomical in these conditions.
“Power prices skyrocketed in the state after the Texas Public Utility Commission, a three-member panel appointed by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, set them at $9,000 per megawatt hour to try to spur power plants to make more electricity,” Russell Gold wrote for the WSJ.
“The move didn’t result in generators producing more, however, as dozens of power plants and wind farms were down due to the freeze and a corresponding shortage of natural gas.”
Washington state has also been moving towards more wind energy and away from natural gas. Governor Jay Inslee (D) has long been a proponent of energy alternatives that are not as reliable as natural gas or nuclear.
Inslee and his Democrat allies are strong supporters of a massive wind farm project planned for the Horse Heaven Hills despite local opposition. Efforts to reduce the size of the project have been rejected by Inslee.
Inslee has “given new life” to the project after the number of windmills was reduced in May of this year, KNKX reported. Inslee claims that the energy needs of the state are growing, and the large windmills project is a solution.
Reliance on windmills for a growing energy demand is not the answer, says Benton PUD candidate, Mike Massey.
“If we rely on windmills, we could definitely end up in a situation where we don’t have enough energy for all of Washington’s residents,” Mike says. “Blackouts are real. In the dead of a Washington winter, they are serious.”
“I will fight against the imposition of windmills on our ridges, destroying the peace and serenity of Horse Heaven Hills,” Massey says. “I believe that wind energy is supplemental at best and should not be prioritized for any energy strategy.”
Comments