Urgent Request for Texas Electricity Customers: Increase Electricity Conservation
ERCOT, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, has issued an urgent request to electricity customers to reduce their electricity usage from 3:00 – 7:00 CST.
Power Watch – Conservation Needed
ERCOT initiating level 1 emergency; Consumers asked to conserve 3-7 p.m. today
Austin, Aug.2, 2011 — The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, Inc. (ERCOT), system operator for the state’s bulk transmission grid, initiated Energy Emergency Alert Level 1 at 2:40 p.m. when responsive reserves dropped below 2,300 megawatts (MW). Capacity is expected to be tight over the peak today, and ERCOT operators are closely monitoring the situation.
We are requesting that consumers and businesses reduce their electricity use during peak electricity hours from 3 to 7 p.m. today, particularly between 4 and 5 p.m. when we expect to hit another peak demand record, said Kent Saathoff, vice president of system planning and operations. We do not know at this time if additional emergency steps will be needed.
Forecast for peak demand today is 67,084 MW, exceeding yesterday’s new all-time record of 66,867 MW. Prior to this year, the record was 65,776 MW (Aug. 23, 2010).
For more information, see Aug. 1 news releases:
http://www.ercot.com/news/press_releases/show/403
http://www.ercot.com/news/press_releases/show/407
Emergency Procedures Background
The Energy Emergency Alert (EEA) procedures are a progressive series of steps that allow ERCOT to bring on power from other grids if available, beginning with a Power Watch (Energy Emergency Alert Level 1).
If the situation does not improve, ERCOT escalates to a Power Warning (Energy Emergency Alert Level 2), allowing operators to drop large commercial/industrial load resources under contract to be interrupted during an emergency.
If the capacity shortage is not relieved by the contract demand response, ERCOT escalates to a Power Emergency (Energy Emergency Alert Level 3) and will instruct utilities to reduce demand on the grid by conducting temporary outages at the local distribution level. These controlled temporary interruptions of electrical service or rotating outages typically last 15-45 minutes before being rotated to a different neighborhood.
Consumers should contact the utility company/ transmission provider listed on their electric bill for information about power outages at their homes or business, or about rotating outage procedures for their area.
Energy Emergency Alert Communications
Conservation Tips
Consumers can help by shutting off unnecessary lights and electrical appliances between 3 and 7 p.m., and delaying laundry and other activities requiring electricity-consuming appliances until later in the evening. Other conservation tips from the Public Utility Commission’s Powerful Advice include:
– Turn off all unnecessary lights, appliances, and electronic equipment.
– When at home, close blinds and drapes that get direct sun, set air conditioning thermostats to 78 degrees or higher, and use fans in occupied rooms to feel cooler.
– When away from home, set air conditioning thermostats to 85 degrees and turn all fans off before you leave. Block the sun by closing blinds or drapes on windows that will get direct sun.
– Do not use your dishwasher, laundry equipment, hairdryers, coffee makers, or other home appliances during the peak hours of 3 to 7 p.m.
– Avoid opening refrigerators or freezers more than necessary.
– Use microwaves for cooking instead of an electric range or oven.
– Set your pool pump to run in the early morning or evening instead of the afternoon.
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.
How to Track Electricity Demand
– View daily peak demand forecast and current load at http://www.ercot.com/
– View daily peak demands by the hour at this link
– Get real-time notices of energy emergency alerts by following ERCOT on Twitter
Consumer Assistance
– Public Utility Commission Consumer Hotline 1-888-782-8777
– Office of Public Utility Counsel Consumer Assistance 1-877-839-0363
Call Your Electric Utility for Information about Local Outages
ERCOT manages the state’s high-voltage bulk electricity grid. For questions about local outages at your home or business, or questions about rotating outage procedures for your neighborhood, contact the utility company or transmission provider listed on your electric bill.
– American Electric Power – AEP
– Austin Energy
– Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative
– Brazos Electric Power Cooperative
– Brownsville Public Utilities Board
– Bryan Texas Utilities
– CenterPoint Energy
– College Station Utilities
– CPS Energy San Antonio
– Denton Municipal Electric
– Garland Power & Light
– LCRA
– Magic Valley Electric Cooperative
– Nueces Electric Cooperative
– Oncor
– Pedernales Electric Cooperative
– Rayburn County Electric Cooperative
– Sharyland Utilities
– South Texas Electric Cooperative
– Texas-New Mexico Power
ERCOT Region
The ERCOT Region includes Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio, Austin, Corpus Christi, Abilene, and the Rio Grande Valley. It does not include the El Paso area, the Texas Panhandle, Northeast Texas (Longview, Marshall and Texarkana), and Southeast Texas (Beaumont, Port Arthur, and The Woodlands). Region map
