ERCOT asked Texans to voluntarily reduce electricity use, if safe to do so, Thursday afternoon and evening ahead of forecasted high demand and the potential for lower reserves. The notice was in effect Aug. 17 from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Last week ERCOT extended its Weather Watch through Aug. 18, warning higher temperatures would lead to higher electrical demand and the potential for lower power reserves.
At 3 p.m. the agency is forecasting demand at about 87,000 MW which is close to the expected available supply of about 91,000 MW. Then at 7 p.m., when solar energy drops off and wind starts to pick up, ERCOT is forecasting about 80,000 MW of demand and 85,000 MW of available supply.
Texans can conserve energy by raising the thermostat by a degree or two, avoiding the use of large appliances, turning off and unplugging non-essential lights and appliances, and shutting off pool pumps during peak hours. Find more energy-saving tips at ercot.com/txans.
Get DFW local news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC DFW newsletters.
When the gap between supply and demand gets closer together ERCOT will ask Texans to reduce electricity use to prevent overloading the grid with demand.
Four times this month and 12 times this summer, Texans have reset the all-time record for power consumption. The most recent record of 85,435 MW was set on Aug. 10, shattering the record set the day before of 83,961 MW. The forecasted high for Thursday afternoon was more than 86,700 MW.
Why the Request to Voluntarily Reduce Usage?
- Extreme Heat: Much of Texas is seeing a return to extreme temperatures today.
- Record Demand: Texas is seeing near-record demand due to the heat.
- Solar: Solar generation declines into the evening hours, before completely going offline at sunset.
- Wind: Lower wind generation is forecasted for this afternoon during peak demand time.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, Inc. (ERCOT) is the agency that manages the state's power grid. It is not experiencing emergency conditions right now but is using additional tools to manage the grid reliably. This includes using reserve power, calling upon reductions by large electric customers that have volunteered to lower their energy use and bringing more generation online sooner.
