AUSTIN (Talk1370.com) -- Texas' electric grid operator is asking residents and businesses across the state to conserve electricity as much as possible over the next three days, as extreme winter weather continues to impact much of the state.
Officials with the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) say the conversation efforts are needed in order to maintain the reliability of the state's electric grid.
"We are experiencing record-breaking electric demand due to the extreme cold temperatures that have gripped Texas," ERCOT President and CEO Bill Magness said in a statement. "At the same time, we are dealing with higher-than-normal generation outages due to frozen wind turbines and limited natural gas supplies available to generating units. We are asking Texans to take some simple, safe steps to lower their energy use during this time."
Officials say electric providers across the state are trying to avoid the need for rolling blackouts while dealing with a surge in demand for electricity. ERCOT officials say it's possible an Energy Emergency Alert, or EEA, may need to be issued if power reserves drop too low.
During an EEA, grid operators can take a number of actions to access additional resources, including roughly 2,800 megawatts of additional power; the last resort would then be rolling blackouts. If ERCOT's reserves reach a critical level, utility operators have been told to be prepared to institute those rolling outages in 15-minute increments, on just an hour's notice. That's a step that has only happened three times in ERCOT's history, officials said.
ERCOT provides these tips to help reduce your energy usage:
*Turn down thermostats to 68-degrees.
*Close shades and blinds to reduce the amount of heat lost through windows.
*Turn off and unplug non-essential lights and appliances.
*Avoid using large appliances (i.e., ovens, washing machines, etc.).
*Businesses should minimize the use of electric lighting and electricity-consuming equipment as much as possible.
*Large consumers of electricity should consider shutting down or reducing non-essential production processes.
Given the prolonged, below-freezing temperatures, officials say conservation measures should be implemented safely and within reason.
