ERCOT on Tuesday asked for a voluntary reduction in electricity use between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.
The Voluntary Conservation Notice was issued as part of ERCOT’s Texas Advisory and Notification System (TXANS). It is mandated to let the public know if the state’s power grid will be tested during times of extreme weather.
“ERCOT is requesting all government agencies (including city and county offices) to implement all programs to reduce energy use at their facilities,” the utility said in a press release.
“ERCOT is not experiencing emergency conditions. Voluntary conservation is a widely used industry tool that can help lower demand for a specific period of peak demand time, which is typically late afternoon into the evening hours.”
On Monday, ERCOT broke the June peak demand record, it said. Customers used 79,304 megawatts (MW) of power, passing last June’s record of 76,718 MW.
Last summer, ERCOT set 11 new peak demand records. The current all-time record of 80,148 MW was set on July 20, 2022, it said.
“ERCOT is using additional tools 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,”
The utility reminded customers about energy-saving tips on its website, ercot.com/txans.
Several reasons were cited for the need to reduce consumption. It listed five reasons/factors in a press release:
- Extreme Heat.
- Record Demand.
- Thermal Outages. “Forced thermal generation power plant outages are higher than normal,” ERCOT said.
- Solar. “Solar generation declines into the evening hours before completely going offline at sunset,” it said.
- Wind. “Low wind generation compared to historic performance during summer peak,” it added.
Consumers with questions should call the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) Hotline at 1-888-782-8477.
The PUCT met Tuesday and echoed ERCOT’s advisory and concerns.
“Take simple power conservation steps to reduce demand on the grid,” PUCT said.
