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LCG Publishes 2024 Annual Outlook for Texas Electricity Market (ERCOT)

LCG, October 10, 2023 – LCG Consulting (LCG) has released its annual outlook of the ERCOT wholesale electricity market for 2024, based on the most likely weather, market, transmission, and generator conditions.

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LCG Publishes 2024 Annual Outlook for Texas Electricity Market (ERCOT)

LCG, October 10, 2023 – LCG Consulting (LCG) has released its annual outlook of the ERCOT wholesale electricity market for 2024, based on the most likely weather, market, transmission, and generator conditions.

Read more

Industry News

South Texas Nuclear Outage May Raise Natural Gas Costs

LCG, May 8, 2003Analysts project that Texas natural gas prices may increase because of the prolonged shutdown of a nuclear plant called South Texas Project.

Centerpoint Energy-owned South Texas Project normally is capable of producing 1,250 megawatts, but the generator was pulled off line due to worrisome corrosion on the bottom of the reactor vessel.

Almost two thirds of the states electric capacity comes from natural gas-fired sources, and some generator owners are concerned about gas prices as the hottest months of the year draw near.

According to the Dow Jones Newswires, an estimated additional 10 billion cubic feet per month will be used in order to compensate for power lost due to South Texas shutdown.

The plants corrosion is especially foreboding because the reactor is fairly young and has yet to show any sign of true malfunctioning. If nothing is found out of place in the generators system, the implication will be that corrosion of this type is due to normal wear - not something a plant owner wants to hear.

Corrosion is often induced by the acidic conditions in the reactor vessel. Boric acid, commonly used during the reaction, unfortunately also aids in oxidizing the metal and can help to form holes in the reaction vessel. Holes in the bottom of the vessel are especially difficult to repair.

Recently several other reactors have been found to have cracks and corrosion-related damage, including a Florida Power & Light reactor, Duke Powers Oconee Unit 3 in South Carolina, and last year, FirstEnergys Davis-Besse reactor in Ohio.

The generator will be kept off line until thorough investigations are made, possibly through the summer or longer.

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