ERCOT calls for electric conservation as temperatures soar

AUSTIN, Texas (KBTX) - The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) has sent out a conservation alert asking Texans to reduce electric use as much as possible through Friday, June 18. The council said they’ve been operating on tight grid conditions due to forced generation outages and potential record electric use.

As temperatures rise they’re hoping to prevent outages by having customers use as little electric as possible.

“Generator owners have reported approximately 11,000 MW of generation is on forced outage for repairs; of that, approximately 8,000 MW is thermal and the rest is intermittent resources,” stated an ERCOT release. “According to the summer Seasonal Assessment of Resource Adequacy, a typical range of thermal generation outages on hot summer days is around 3,600 MW. One MW typically powers around 200 homes on a summer day.”

ERCOT suggests taking these actions to reduce electric use:

• Set your thermostat to 78 degrees or higher – every degree of cooling increases your energy use by six to eight percent.
• Turn off lights and pool pumps and avoid using large appliances like ovens, washing machines and dryers.
• If you don’t need something – turn it off and unplug it if possible.

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