Freezing temperatures in Central Texas have set a new record for electricity use.
According to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, or ERCOT, that new record was set Wednesday morning between the 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. hour using 65,731 megawatts of power. That beat the old record set just days before on January 3, 2017, at 62,855 megawatts.
The last extreme winter storm occurred in 2011. During this storm, Austin Energy hit their record peak of only 2,195. The demand was so high there was an energy restriction.
Unlike summer, where there is only one peak time during the day between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., winter has two peak times -- 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
That in part is why ERCOT sent out energy saving tips Tuesday night. ERCOT sent energy saving tips to Austin residents to help conserve energy and to keep customer prices low.
"We were closely monitoring the grid conditions and at the same time provide a way for people to feel more involved if they wanted to take action on their own, however, we did not make an official call for conservation," said Leslie Sopko, a spokesperson for ERCOT.
Before Wednesday, Austinite Matt Norman had never heard of ERCOT's recommendations for energy saving tips.
One of them, keeping his thermostat at 68 degrees, is doable. But not using large appliances during peak demand times -- like washers and dryers -- that tip isn't so.
As a father of three little ones, doing laundry is an all-day, everyday job.
Here are a few recommendations for saving energy:
- Set thermostats at 68 or lower when you are home; set at 63 when not at home
- Lighting accounts for 10 percent of energy use, install LED bulbs, turn off lights not being used
- Unplug electronics and chargers when not in use; use a smart power strip
- Use a fireplace when you can to help heat your home (remember to close the damper when not in use)
- Let sunlight in during the day to help heat your home, close shades/curtains at night
- Use cold water to wash clothes and only wash full loads to maximize the energy usage
- Be sure water heaters and hot water pipes are insulated