ERCOT issues voluntary conservation notice due to expected record demand for power
With another day of sweltering heat in the forecast statewide, ERCOT is asking Texans to voluntarily reduce their electricity use Tuesday afternoon, if it's safe to do so, due to extreme temperatures and the anticipation of another day of record-setting demand for power.
ERCOT's Voluntary Conservation Notice is in effect Tuesday, June 20 from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. CT. The agency said they are not under emergency conditions and that voluntary conservation is a widely used tool to help lower demand during times of peak usage, typically in the late afternoon and early evenings -- the hottest part of the day.
"The Voluntary Conservation Notice is part of ERCOT’s Texas Advisory and Notification System (TXANS), alerting the public of grid conditions," the agency said. "ERCOT is requesting all government agencies, including city and county offices, to implement all programs to reduce energy use at their facilities."
Last week, ERCOT, the agency that manages the state's power grid, issued a Weather Watch from June 15-21, anticipating record-high demand due to excessive heat.
On Monday, Texans smashed the June peak demand record by 3,000 megawatts using 79,304 MW of power. Last summer, ERCOT said Texans set 11 new peak demand records. The current all-time record is 80,148 MW which was set on July 20, 2022.
Following ERCOT's request Tuesday morning, the Public Utility Commission of Texas echoed the call for conservation and urged Texans to help reduce the demand on the grid.
ERCOT said they are using additional tools Tuesday to manage the grid reliably, including using reserve power, calling upon reductions by large electric customers that have volunteered to lower their energy use, and bringing more generation online sooner.
Energy-saving tips can be found at ercot.com/txans.
Why the Need to Reduce Usage?
• Extreme Heat. Much of Texas is seeing very high temperatures for an extended period.
• Record Demand. Texas is seeing record demand due to the heat.
• Thermal Outages. Forced thermal generation power plant outages are higher than normal.
• Solar. Solar generation declines into the evening hours, before completely going offline at sunset.
• Wind. Low wind generation compared to historic performance during the summer peak.
MAP: HOW VULNERABLE IS YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD TO EXCESSIVE HEAT
People living in dense cities and remote rural areas are the most at risk during heat waves, data shows. The full story from NBC News can be read here. Use the map embedded below to see your area.
As temperatures rise during the summer in North Texas, NBC 5's Ben Russell tells us how we can keep our electricity costs lower.
Source: NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth
