ERCOT expects power usage to hit new records
NORTH TEXAS (CBSNewsTexas.com) – Due to the extreme heat, ERCOT expects power usage to hit new records for peak demand.
They're not experiencing any emergency conditions, but Tuesday called for voluntary conservation from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
They say the highest risk of outages is at 9 p.m. Wind actually comes up on average at 9 p.m., but the solar goes down even more so they lose some of the total resources. A low wind day now has more variability.
"The fact is when it's 105° in west Texas in the middle of the day, the wind is usually not blowing, so that's one reality that we have to be cognizant of," energy expert Bernard Weinstein said.
Weinstein said if the wind is not blowing, about a third of generation could be off-line.
ERCOT is using other tools to manage the grid reliably. Including using reserve power and bringing more generation online sooner.
What does this mean for this summer?
"I think we're going to see more warnings, but I don't think we're going to see any major blackouts or brownouts," he said. "We've been getting these advisories for several years now, people and businesses do cooperate."
When it comes to conserving while staying cool, we're told one of the best things you can do is raise the thermostat just a couple degrees from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. If no one is going to be home for more than four hours, raise it 4°. It can make a big difference.
