TEXAS, USA — The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) is asking Texans and Texas businesses to voluntarily conserve energy from 2-9 p.m. Wednesday, July 13.
Wednesday’s weather conditions are expected to be similar to those experienced Monday, July 11, when ERCOT said Texans and businesses responded by voluntarily conserving electricity, helping successfully meet record power demand by reducing their energy use by 500 MWs.
Currently, no system-wide outages are expected.
Conservation is a reliability tool ERCOT has deployed more than four dozen times since 2008 to successfully manage grid operations. A notification is issued when projected reserves may fall below 2300 megawatts for 30 minutes or more.
According to the Public Utility Commission, ways to reduce electricity use during peak times include turning up your thermostat a degree or two, if comfortable, and postponing running major appliances or pool pumps during the requested timeframe.
ERCOT said factors driving the need for this important action by customers include:
- Record high electric demand: The heat wave that has settled on Texas and much of the central United States is driving increased electric use. Other grid operators are operating under similar conservative operations programs as ERCOT due to the heatwave.
- Low wind: Wind generation is currently generating less than what is historically generated in this time period.
- Forced thermal outages: The number of forced outages in thermal generation exceeds ERCOT forecasts.
- Solar: Developing cloud cover in West Texas has reduced the amount of solar generation.
Using its free app, ERCOT allows you to monitor real-time grid conditions:
ERCOT suggests Texans conserve electricity by raising thermostats and postponing using large appliances (dishwashers, laundry machines, etc.) during peak afternoon hours.