ERCOT requests Texans conserve electricity for high demand Monday morning

ERCOT asks Texans to conserve energy as freezing temperatures hit the state, with peak demand expected to exceed 81,000 megawatts.

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) has issued a call to residents to conserve energy as parts of the state, including Houston, are expected to experience freezing temperatures in the coming days.

ERCOT cited the combination of winter weather, high demand, and unseasonably low wind as the reasons for the conservation appeal. The organization has asked Texans to reduce their electricity usage between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. on Monday, as it anticipates operating reserves to be low during those hours.

It's important to note that ERCOT's conservation appeal does not indicate that the organization is currently experiencing emergency conditions. However, ERCOT will continue to monitor the situation closely and communicate further if conditions change.

This call for conservation comes as a surprise, as ERCOT had previously stated that it did not expect to implement mandatory conservation efforts during this week's cold snap. However, during a news conference on Saturday, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo expressed her belief that such requests were imminent.

ERCOT is forecasting peak demand during the cold snap to occur at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, with demand expected to exceed 81,000 megawatts. This is significantly higher than the peak demand of 65,632 megawatts in January 2023.

In the event of power outages, ERCOT advises residents to contact their electricity company. Additionally, the organization has urged state agencies to take measures to conserve energy during the specified hours.

Previously, ERCOT had projected a 1-in-6 chance of rolling outages in January at the highest-risk hour of 8 a.m. if weather conditions mirrored those experienced during Winter Storm Elliott, the cold snap that occurred over Christmas in 2022. Meteorologists are forecasting similar temperatures next week, which is why ERCOT is taking proactive measures to ensure the stability of the grid.