ERCOT asks Texans to conserve energy on Monday morning
Texas power grid operator ERCOT is asking Texans to conserve energy on Monday morning.
A Conservation Appeal has been issued from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Monday morning due to "freezing temperatures, very high demand and unseasonably low wind," ERCOT said in a news release.
The power grid operator says that Texans should only conserve energy if it is safe to do so.
ERCOT said it is expecting similar conditions on Tuesday, but an official Conservation Appeal has not been issued at this time.
ERCOT's website shows the conditions getting tight on Monday and Tuesday.
The forecast on the site generally overestimates demand and does not account for certain last-minute tools that ERCOT can deploy.
All-time peak electricity demand was 85,508 MW on August 10, 2023.
The all-time winter peak demand record of 74,525 MW was set December 23, 2022
Current projections show the demand on Monday to be around 83,000 MW.
ERCOT previously issued a Weather Watch.
A Conservation Appeal is issued when the electrical demand is forecast to possibly enter emergency operations due to lower reserves.
Gov. Abbott: Texas power grid 'much more prepared' for winter weather than in the past
Governor Greg Abbott says the Texas power grid will experience its tightest conditions Tuesday and Wednesday morning.
There is another level above that.
An Energy Emergency Alert is issued when extra resources are needed due to low energy reserves. There are three levels of EEA, with controlled outages coming after hitting Level 3.
Temperatures are expected to remain below freezing through Wednesday.
There have already been some localized issues that are not related to the grid that can be dangerous in this cold.
Some in Collin County are already dealing with localized outages.
"I was praying the heat would stay on within this timeframe over these days with bad winter weather, and a few hours later, in the dark," Sonja Beauchamp said.
Beauchamp just bought a new house in Princeton.
She woke up cold at 2 a.m. Sunday.
She said she has had brief power outages for 6 months, and on this day of all days, it happened again.
She told FOX 4 that ONCOR said it was having equipment problems.
Now, Beauchamp is worried about pipes bursting.
"I am concerned about that because they tell you to leave your doors open to circumvent heat," she said.
Plumbing experts recommend you follow their advice keep pipes from freezing.