ERCOT says controlled outages may be necessary this evening

AUSTIN, Texas (KBTX) – ERCOT has moved into Emergency Operations and issued an Energy Emergency Alert Level 2 to maintain the reliability of the grid.

Additional resources are being deployed and ERCOT says controlled outages may be needed to protect the electric system.

Please reduce electric use and if you have medical needs, contact your local utility, and have a backup plan, said ERCOT.

The following news release has been shared by ERCOT:

ERCOT has moved into Emergency Operations and issued an Energy Emergency Alert Level 2 to maintain the reliability of the grid. Earlier today, ERCOT issued a conservation appeal from 6 – 9 p.m. CT; however, operating reserves are continuing to decline. At this time, there are no power outages associated with the ERCOT power grid. ERCOT will continue to monitor conditions and deploy all available tools as part of our reliability-first approach to operations. ERCOT continues to request Texans conserve electricity use.

When reserves on the system get low, ERCOT begins emergency operations using three levels of Energy Emergency Alerts (EEAs). These levels provide access to additional power sources only available during emergency conditions to protect the reliability of the electric system. Entering Emergency Operations does not mean that ERCOT is expecting to call for controlled power outages, which would affect all customer classes, including residential, commercial, and industrial. Entering Emergency Operations means that ERCOT has access to more power reserves that help prevent power outages.

An EEA 2 is issued when ERCOT’s operating reserves have dropped below 1,750 MWs and are not expected to recover within 30 minutes. Controlled outages have not been requested at this time, however, could become necessary if demand isn’t lowered or additional supply cannot be added from generators.

At this time, ERCOT is bringing all available generation online, releasing any remaining reserves, using demand response to lower electric demand. ERCOT is also working with out-of-state Independent System Operators (ISOs) and Market Participants to obtain additional power generation capacity. Additionally, ERCOT obtained Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) enforcement discretion, which allows a generator to extend its service/run-time/operations to help meet demand, if needed, to help maintain grid reliability.

If you are experiencing an outage at this time, it is not because of the ERCOT power grid, but is local in nature. Please check with your local electric provider for more information.

ERCOT has requested all government agencies (including city and county offices) to implement all programs to reduce energy use at their facilities.

You can find more information on EEAs here.

Factors leading to tight grid conditions include:

Heat. Continued statewide high temperatures.Demand. High demand due to the heat.Solar. Solar generation starts to decline earlier in the evening hours before completely going offline at sunset.Wind. Wind generation is forecasted to be low this evening during peak demand time.

Critical Medical Needs Reminder

If you have medical needs, please contact your local electric utility and have a backup plan in case power reductions, or controlled outages, are needed later. Your local electric provider is responsible for managing the power reduction, or controlled outages, in your area.

What can You do?

You can use these use these energy-saving tips to lower your electric use during this peak demand time, if safe to do so. Simple steps such as lowering/raising your thermostat a degree or two, turning off extra lights, and not using large appliances such as washer, dryers and dishwashers, can help.

Record Peak Demand

Today, ERCOT set a new September peak record of 82,705 MW.ERCOT set an all-time peak demand record of 85,435 MW on August 10.In 2022, the August peak demand was 78,465 MW.This summer ERCOT has set 10 new all-time peak demand records.Last summer ERCOT set 11 new peak demand records with a high of 80,148 MW on July 20.

Stay Updated

Subscribe to ERCOT EmergencyAlerts, which are automated notices only sent under emergency conditions.Sign up for TXANS notifications on the TXANS webpage to receive additional information.Download our app (available through the Apple Store or Google Play)Monitor current and extended conditions on our website at ERCOT.comFollow ERCOT on Twitter (@ERCOT_ISO), Facebook (Electric Reliability Council of Texas), and LinkedIn (ERCOT).

Consumer Assistance

Public Utility Commission of Texas Hotline: 1-888-782-8477Office of Public Utility Counsel Consumer Assistance: 1-877-839-0363