High-end electrical users could strain grid

By Editor | May 6, 2024

The growth of industrial-scale users of power could strain the Texas power grid, ERCOT’s chief announced last week. The Dallas Morning News reported Pablo Vegas, the agency’s CEO, said bitcoin miners and artificial intelligence data centers going in across the state, as well as industrial growth in the Permian Basin, could create the need for a massive buildup of power transmission lines in the future.
ERCOT is forecasting a 37% jump in power demand from industrial-sized users, even more than earlier predicted. It increased its forecast of electricity needed by new large-scale users from 111 gigawatts to 152 gigawatts. By comparison, the record for grid demand was set last August when 85.5 gigawatts were used.
ERCOT regulates 90% of the state’s power grid.
State battles acute ag worker shortage
In the 1950s, 10% of the state’s adult population worked in agriculture, a number that has dropped to 1% today, according to the Texas Standard.
Diane Charlton, an associate professor at Montana State University who studies where farm workers come from, said the number of individuals from Mexico working in agriculture provides the most farm workers, has dropped an average of one percent per year from 1980 to 2010. That amounts to 250,000 fewer farm workers per year.
Mexico provides the most farm workers. Among the reasons for decreasing numbers of Mexican farm workers are growing industrialization and increasing access to education in Mexico, and an aging group of immigrants who have traditionally worked on American farms.
Steve Hubbard of the American Immigration Council said more farmers are applying to hire temporary workers through an H-2A visa. Under its provisions, foreign workers are hired to do work on a specific farm for a given time before returning home.
Experts say hotter temperatures under climate change are also driving away potential farm workers.
“Workers are just going to suffer significantly if there are not some immediate protections put in place to address the work in these hotter temperatures,” Amy Liebman, with the Migrant Clinicians Network, said. “We’re experiencing these higher heat days, higher number of heat days.”
Texas still leading
U.S. in job creation
Texas continues to lead the nation in job creation, with March unemployment numbers indicating the state has led in that category for the past 12 months. The state’s total workforce has reached a record 15.189 million, according to the Texas Workforce Commission.
Texas added 270,700 jobs from March 2023 to March 2024, the most in the nation.
“Texas continues to be a top place for growth and economic success with thousands of jobs added by employers in March,” said TWC Chairman Bryan Daniel. “Our world class workforce of talented Texans attracts employers from many expanding industries.”