The Electricity Reliability Council of Texas has issued a Voluntary Conservation Notice from 3-10 p.m. today, August 24, 2023, due to forecasted high demand and low wind power generation. ERCOT is not in emergency operations at this time. However, forecasts are showing a high potential to enter into emergency operations this evening. Voluntarily helping to reduce the load on the grid will assist with grid reliability.
We ask that you reduce power use today if you're willing and safely able to do so. Here are some tips to help save energy during these hours:
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Raise your thermostat a degree or two.
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Avoid using large appliances, such as your washer, dryer, dishwasher and oven.
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Turn off unused lights and electronics.
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Avoid running your pool pump.
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Avoid charging electric vehicles.
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. ERCOT is using additional tools to manage the grid, 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.
Why Did ERCOT Issue this Request?
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Extreme Heat. Continued statewide extreme temperatures today.
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Record Demand. Texas continues to experience near-record demand. The state has set 10 new peak records this summer, and recently reached an all-time peak record of 85,435 MW on August 10. For comparison, the peak last summer was 80,148 MW, set on July 20, 2022.
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Low Wind Power. Wind generation is forecasted to be low this afternoon during peak demand time and is not expected to increase until very late in the evening.
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Solar. Solar generation will decline into the evening hours, before completely going offline at sunset.
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Switchable Capacity. Independent System Operators (ISOs) in other states are going through similar extreme heat conditions and have asked for switchable generation resource capacity back to assist their regions. These switchable generation resources are within the primary control of other ISOs.