Redhorse cafe

[wardancer]

Home safe and sound! All is well. Ceremony was good and everyone had a good time ! My brother would have been proud of us.
I hope the storms weren't too terrible and I hope everyone is safe and healthy !

[OLChemist]

Just to explain what Subs is talking about. Starting in 2018-2019 companies started popping up that allowed customers to access pricing based on the wholesale electric market price. This price fluctuates moment to moment in Texas's largely deregulated market and has a state imposed cap of $9000 per MW/hr. (At this 85F pre-start of business moment, pricing in my county is around $30 MW/hr.) Customers, who opted for these plans as opposed to the various flavors of fixed rate pricing other electric providers offer, were gambling that demand would mostly stay low. Most of these plans also had provisions to maintain a few hundred dollar balance on the customer account, leading folks to set up their accounts to withdraw money directly from their banks accounts.

Just after the biggest of these companies started up, we had a streak of 107-112F weather that spiked rates and there was a lot of ugly media coverage of $800-$100 bills. So, folks who had been in the state for a couple years, knew these plans had the potential to inflict huge bills. Also, a couple days before the storm, the company told customers to get other electric providers. But, many couldn't make the move in time. (It can take upwards of a month to make a transition.) Others thought they'd ride it out and low bills later would make up for this. But, the crisis conditions lasted for days and then even when things eased up the grid operator was accused of keeping the rates high for longer then was absolutely deemed necessary. Under those conditions it wasn't hard to use a MW or two at $9000.

After the storm, all the customers were moved to "providers of last resort". The biggest company running the wholesale plans declared bankruptcy. It is undergoing chapter 11 now. A bunch of customers are suing. The state AG went after the company for deceptive trade practices. (I'm not sure how that works when anyone who wasn't living under a rock in 2019 could have foreseen that this could happen.) The state legislature banned plans like this. If I'm following all the machinations correctly, the company will forgive the bills if the customers agree not to sue or drop ongoing suits.

Texas Monthly article about whole sale electric providers

One take on why the problems are happening:

Texas Monthly: What's wrong with the Texas gird.

[subeeds]

It's been rainy here. So rainy the cat's mad at the world right now because her Princess self doesn't like the rain. At least it's keeping the heat down.

[Broken Arrow]

After cooled down rainy days now the temperatures are rising again.

The land needs rain. You can see it if you look at the plants in the fields and the trees.

[ches]

I have not been traveling much yet. I have got to have surgery on the 10th. Church choir is starting back practice on the 4th we have missed it for a long time now due to tge virus.

[ches]

Had the covid. I was in the 3% that ended up in the hospital for 36 hours even though I had had the vaccine. I think the Creator would have taken me home if I had not had the vaccine. The weakness does not go away for 2-3 weeks. I guess I have sbout 2 weeks to go now before the weakness is gone. I pray none of you get real sick if you get the covid.

[wardancer]

Hopefully you will recover ! My prayers are for you , stay strong !

[Broken Arrow]

I pray for you. Fight.