SAN ANTONIO – The Electrical Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) is asking Texans to safely conserve electricity on Monday morning from 6 – 10 a.m. as the electric grid conditions tighten due to freezing temperatures.
ERCOT, which operates the electricity grid in Texas, issued the call on Sunday at 5 p.m. but said the conservation appeal does not indicate emergency conditions “at this time.”
“Due to continued freezing temperatures, very high demand, and unseasonably low wind, operating reserves are expected to be low during the morning hours of Monday, January 15, prior to the solar ramp up… ERCOT is expecting similar conditions on Tuesday, January 16, and will continue to closely monitor conditions and keep the public informed through our communication channels,” a news release reads.
A strong, arctic cold front arrived in San Antonio and the Hill Country on Sunday. Temperatures will struggle to rise above freezing on Monday, while wind chill values from gusty winds will almost certainly be in the 20s or lower.
There is a small potential for wintry precipitation, but the odds are low at this time. Stay up to date on the forecast by visiting the KSAT Weather Authority page or downloading KSAT’s weather app.
ERCOT said it would “remain vigilant and communicate further if conditions change because of continued freezing temperatures and very high demand in the morning hours.”
“At this time, if you are experiencing an outage, it is local in nature and not related to overall grid reliability. Please check with your local electric provider for more information,” the release reads.
⚡️ CHECK CURRENT CPS ENERGY OUTAGES HERE.
The agency requested all government agencies to implement plans to reduce energy usage until at least 10 a.m. Monday.
ERCOT had previously issued a Weather Watch — for Sunday, Jan. 14, through Wednesday, Jan. 17 — that did not include an energy conservation appeal.
SEE ENERGY-SAVING TIPS AND MORE DETAILS ON THE CONSERVATION APPEAL FROM ERCOT BELOW
Energy-saving tips can be found on the TXANS webpage at ercot.com/txans.
Why the Request to Reduce Usage?
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Weather. Most of Texas is seeing extremely cold temperatures for an extended period of time.
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Demand. Texas is experiencing record breaking demand due to the cold weather.
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Solar. Solar generation isn’t available in the early morning hours, which is a peak demand time during winter, and slowly ramps up as the sun rises.
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Wind. Wind generation is forecasted to be lower than seasonally expected in the early morning hours.
Peak Demand
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In 2023, January peak demand reached 65,632 MW, with the current all-time peak demand record of 85,508 MW set on August 10, 2023. The all-time winter peak demand record of 74,525 MW was set December 23, 2022, in the 7-8 a.m. hour during Winter Storm Elliott.
Consumer Assistance
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Public Utility Commission of Texas Hotline: 1-888-782-8477
Original News Source Link
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