Join the discussion on this story by using the Facebook app to the right
AUSTIN — With temperatures expected to hit triple digits this week, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), the electric grid operator for most of Texas, is looking closely at anticipated electric use and available electric generation.
Peak electric demand is expected to exceed 65,000 megawatts on Monday and Tuesday, and ERCOT expects to have adequate electric generation resources available to serve that load without issuing an Energy Emergency Alert. This takes into account current outages and the possibility of losing additional resources in the first heat wave of summer.
ERCOT will use a variety of channels to keep the public informed throughout the summer. ERCOT Energy Saver, a new mobile app now available for Apple and Android devices, will provide real-time alerts when conservation is most critical in the ERCOT region. Users of the free app need to enable push notifications to receive these messages. ERCOT also will provide information through the news media, Facebook, Twitter and ERCOT’s new subscription-based EmergencyAlerts list (http://lists.ercot.com).
ERCOT will update the assessment for the remainder of next week based on updated forecasts early in the week and will provide updates as needed, especially if actual energy use or loss of generation through unplanned outages exceeds current expectations.
Although ERCOT anticipates sufficient electric generation to meet this early summer heat wave, consumers are urged to conserve, especially between the hours of 3 and 7 pm.
Some steps everyone can take to reduce demand on the grid during these peak demand hours include the following:
• Turn your thermostat up by two or three degrees in the late afternoon.
• If you will be away from home throughout the day, turn your thermostat up before leaving home in the morning.
• Set pool pumps to run late at night or early in the morning.
• Avoid using large appliances, especially hot stoves and clothes dryers, during the peak.
For more conservation tips, download the ERCOT Energy Saver app or visit the Public Utility Commission of Texas website.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) manages the flow of electric power to 23 million Texas customers - representing 85 percent of the state's electric load. As the independent system operator for the region, ERCOT schedules power on an electric grid that connects 40,500 miles of transmission lines and more than 550 generation units. ERCOT also performs financial settlement for the competitive wholesale bulk-power market and administers retail switching for 6.6 million premises in competitive choice areas. ERCOT is a membership-based 501(c)(4) nonprofit corporation, governed by a board of directors and subject to oversight by the Public Utility Commission of Texas and the Texas Legislature.
Raw: Accused US Spy Reportedly Leaves Russia
AP CEO: Records Seizure 'Unconstitutional'
Fatal Hot Air Balloon Accident in Turkey
Tornadoes, Storms Strike Midwest
'Babyland': Camp Lejeune's Toxic Legacy?
Raw: Heavy Tornado Damage in Shawnee, Okla
Probe Begins After Conn. Commuter Trains Crash
NTSB Begins Investigation Into Conn. Train Crash
Lotto Fever Sweeps the Country
Coffee Run Leads to Hatchet Hitchhiker Arrest
Fmr. IRS Head Insists No Politics in Targeting
CDC: Fecal Bacteria Common in Swimming Pools
Could Tobacco Be the Next Biofuel?
Wash. State Releases Draft Rules for Legal Pot
