HOUSTON – ERCOT said they have ceased emergency operations as the grid system recovered.
Reducing electricity usage is still encouraged, but the Energy Emergency Alert has been rescinded.
Earlier, ERCOT said they entered the second level of emergency operations and issued an Energy Emergency Alert 2 (EEA 2) to maintain reliability of the grid as operating reserves continued to decline.
ERCOT released a statement on X/Twitter explaining why they entered emergency operations on Wednesday.
“ERCOT entered emergency operations tonight due to a drop in both operating reserves and frequency. By entering EEA 2, ERCOT was able to utilize additional reserve resources to protect the reliability of the grid. No power outages associated with the ERCOT power grid were necessary. The Weather Watch remains in effect through Sept. 8 due to continued higher temperatures, high demand, and the potential for lower reserves. Thank you to Texas residents and businesses for your conservation efforts,” the agency said.
ERCOT entered emergency operations tonight due to a drop in both operating reserves and frequency. By entering EEA 2, ERCOT was able to utilize additional reserve resources to protect the reliability of the grid. No power outages associated with the ERCOT power grid were…
— ERCOT (@ERCOT_ISO) September 7, 2023
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ERCOT said they have entered the second level of emergency operations and issued an Energy Emergency Alert 2 (EEA 2) to maintain reliability of the grid as operating reserves are continuing to decline.
The agency said entering emergency operations does not mean that ERCOT is expecting to call for controlled power outages. It means that ERCOT has access to more power reserves that help prevent power outages.
ERCOT is bringing all available generation online, releasing any remaining reserves, and using demand response to lower electric demand. ERCOT is also working with out-of-state Independent System Operators (ISOs) and Market Participants to obtain additional power generation capacity.
RELATED: Track the Texas power grid: Watch ERCOT’s current grid conditions in real-time
ERCOT does not own, operate, or maintain any of the generation units on the grid, but ERCOT works closely with the Market Participants that own and operate these units.
ERCOT will continue to monitor conditions and deploy all available tools as part of their reliability-first approach to operations.
“When reserves on the system get low, ERCOT begins emergency operations using three levels of Energy Emergency Alerts (EEAs). These levels provide access to additional power sources only available during emergency conditions to protect the reliability of the electric system. Entering emergency operations does not mean that ERCOT is expecting to call for controlled power outages, which would affect all customer classes, including residential, commercial, and industrial. Entering emergency operations means that ERCOT has access to more power reserves that help prevent power outages,” the agency said.
An EEA 2 is issued when ERCOT’s operating reserves have dropped below 1,750 MW and are not expected to recover within 30 minutes.
“Controlled outages have not been requested at this time, however, could become necessary if demand isn’t lowered or additional supply cannot be added from generators,” the agency said.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) has asked Houston residents and businesses to conserve electricity due to continued high temperatures, high demand, low wind and declining solar power generation Wednesday evening.
ERCOT asked consumers to conserve electricity use, if safe to do so, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
“CenterPoint Energy does not generate electricity itself, so any shortage of electric power capacity from the electric grid is not something that the company controls,” a news release said.
ERCOT said the conservation appeal does not indicate that the grid is experiencing emergency conditions at this time.
Consumers can reportedly help the grid by taking the following measures:
- Raise your thermostat by a degree or two, if safe to do so.
- Avoid using large appliances, such as washers/dryers and dishwashers.
- Turn off and unplug non-essential lights and appliances.
- Set pool pumps to run early morning or overnight; shut off during peak hours.
“If conditions worsen, ERCOT may issue a directive to curtail power delivered to customers, which requires transmission and distribution utilities like CenterPoint Energy to implement controlled outages due to power generation shortfall,” the release said. “Controlled outages are planned emergency measures designed to avoid potentially longer and more widespread power outages for customers.”
Houstonians are also encouraged to prepare now and have a backup plan in place, especially those who rely on electricity for life-sustaining equipment.
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