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(Tesla)
Things are looking up for Tesla following the Giga Texas grand opening.
The ability to run factories at full capacity this year has been limited by global supply chain constraints that the company expects will persist through the year. But still, Tesla reported strong revenue growth in the first quarter of 2022.
Highlights from the start of Tesla’s year:
- $3.3 billion in profit as revenue increased 81% year over year
- 310,048 vehicle deliveries with Model 3 and Model Y’s making up 95% of it
- Giga Texas held its grand opening party, marking the start of deliveries from southeast Travis County
If you’re ordering an EV, don’t expect a quick delivery or last year’s costs. CEO Elon Musk noted inflation pressures and said the waitlist extends into next year. Plus supplier and logistics cost growth are now reflected in prices. But he emphasized the high-quality production at the company’s headquarters.
“I’ve never been more optimistic or excited about Tesla’s future than I am right now,” Musk said.
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(Austin Energy)
Demand for the statewide power grid hit over 65,000 Mw at 5 p.m., just under the capacity the grid can handle. ERCOT announced approximately 2,900 Mw of power was lost on Friday due to six power generation facilities tripping offline. At 5 p.m. it said all reserve generation resources available are operating. Texans have been asked to conserve energy.
As the power grid threatens to buckle under the weight of consumers, record-breaking heat continues to push up demand. Austin is currently in the hottest May on record, with temperatures averaging at 82 degrees—eight degrees higher than average—at Austin's Camp Mabry.
And Austin is expected to have another triple-digit onslaught next week, with temperatures peaking at highs of 100 degrees Friday and Saturday. As a result, demand could peak Monday, with forecast demand expected to reach a May record of 70,758 Mw. The previous record was 67,265 in 2018, while ERCOT's all-time high was 74,820 Mw in August 2019.
While ERCOT has not yet seen a heat surge reminiscent of 2021's Winter Storm Uri, power outage woes became all too real for around 3,600 southeast Austinites Saturday as Austin Energy put on a last-resort power pause from around 3:30 to 7:30 p.m.
The outage was a culmination of many factors—from near-100 degree heat to unfortunately-timed maintenance checks and growth in the Bluff Springs area. The result was an overheating circuit that needed relief fast.
"It was related to high usage overloading one circuit at a time when some of our infrastructure was still undergoing maintenance in preparation for the months to come," Austin Energy spokesperson Matt Mitchell told Austonia. "So it was a very unique set of circumstances that we do not see repeating itself."
Mitchell said that all seasonal maintenance is complete and that Austin Energy will open a new power substation in Bluff Springs this June. The organization also said the issue had nothing to do with ERCOT, which released a statement assuring consumers that power was not threatened during that time.
ERCOT also told Austonia before 5 p.m. that it "projects there will be sufficient generation to meet demand for electricity" on Friday. It then informed the public about the energy loss due to a power trip.
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