The state's grid operator has asked Texans to cut back on their electricity use from 3 to 8 p.m. Thursday to prevent tight grid conditions., The Texas Tribune’s daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news.
The state’s electric grid operator is asking people to reduce their power use between 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Thursday, when forecasters expect to see high demand for electricity because of extremely hot temperatures that are baking the state.that residents raise their thermostat by a degree or two if safe, refrain from running large appliances such as washing machines and dryers, and turn off and unplug lights and other appliances that aren’t needed.that grid operators have made this summer.
Electricity users have exceeded the record for power demand on the state’s main grid 10 times so far this summer, according to ERCOT data. This is in part because the state has continued to grow, but it also reflects how the extreme heat has tested the state’s power system.. Texas can also produce the most wind power of any state. But solar power declines as the sun sets. And on Thursday, ERCOT cited low wind power generation as an additional cause for concern., happening Sept. 21-23 in Austin.