Electricity grid in Texas under cold, rolling outages or blackouts possible tonight: ERCOT

The Texas power grid manager is bracing for record electricity usage while managing unusually high power generation problems. Those issues can lead to rolling blackouts, similar to the 2011 winter storm that led to the same outcome, officials said.

The CEO of Texas’ Electric Reliability Council of Texas, better known as ERCOT, announced on Sunday that supplies of natural gas to power plants were limited and that some wind turbines were frozen. ERCOT has a grid condition warning system that is now in a “ maintenance alarm ” state when consumption increases across the state.

That’s a step up from earlier this week when ABC13’s Nick Natario spoke to ERCOT when conditions were normal.

“We are experiencing record-breaking demand for electricity due to the extreme cold temperatures that are gripping Texas,” said Bill Magness, President and CEO of ERCOT. “At the same time, we’re dealing with higher-than-normal power outages. We’re asking Texans to take some simple, safe measures to reduce their energy consumption during this time.”

ERCOT had to shut off power to at least one million homes in Texas in 2011 during a record-breaking cold snap that year.

According to the ERCOT website, the outlook for the system predicted very tight conditions, including the possibility that demand would exceed available power on a Sunday. A spokesperson confirmed the outlook and said there may be emergencies triggered tonight.

The similarities with the two situations are hard to overlook: both systems caused significantly colder temperatures, left roads impassable with ice and snow, and caused some power supplies to go offline due to the cold, leaving the state without sufficient power. to sit. In 2011, the state imported electricity from Mexico, according to the ABC13 reporting at the time.

Magness said lowering heaters to 68 degrees, closing shades to keep heat in, and turning off non-essential appliances and lights can help conserve energy during the cold.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott warned Saturday that all of Texas is facing an unprecedented winter storm, saying he was asking for a federal disaster statement prior to the storm. Abbott has already issued a state disaster statement.

FROM SATURDAY: Abbott government pushes for energy conservation, says demand can exceed supply

ABC13 answers your top winter weather questions