Texans Should Cut Electricity Use Amid Heat Wave: ERCOT

AUSTIN, TX — With temperatures soaring across the state, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas issued a conservation appeal, asking Texans to reduce their power use Monday afternoon and evening.

In the appeal issued Sunday night, ERCOT requested Texans refrain from using major appliances and pool pumps and raise their thermostats at least one degree during peak hours of expected electric demand, between 2 and 8 p.m. Monday.

The appeal comes as the National Weather Service issued a heat advisory for more than half the state and an extreme heat warning for most of central Texas on Monday. Temperatures are above 100 degrees in most of the state.

ERCOT also issued a watch for a projected reserve capacity shortage between those hours but does not expect system-wide outages. ERCOT is utilizing other tools to manage the grid, including the use of reserve power and calling upon large electric customers who have volunteered to lower their energy use, the council said.

The heat wave is driving electric demand, and the highest day of electric use so far has already surpassed ERCOT's projected peak demand a month earlier than predicted, according to the Austin American-Statesman. Low electrical output from wind sources also factored into ERCOT's decision to issue the conservation appeal.

If the situation worsens, ERCOT can institute rolling blackouts like it did during the 2021 winter freeze that forced millions of Texans to go without power for extended periods and resulted in hundreds of deaths.