The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) and the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) are asking Texans to conserve electricity usage Monday morning.
The agencies asks people to conserve specifically from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. Monday morning, if safe to do so.
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“Due to continued freezing temperatures, very high demand and unseasonably low wind, operating reserves for the Texas power grid are expected to be low Monday morning, Jan. 15, before sunrise. ERCOT is expecting similar conditions on Tuesday, Jan. 16,” ERCOT said.
While ERCOT says tomorrow’s conservation appeal does not indicate they are experiencing emergency conditions at this time, ERCOT said they will remain vigilant and communicate further if conditions change because of continued freezing temperatures and very high demand in the morning hours.
“At this time, if you are experiencing an outage, it is local in nature and not related to overall grid reliability. Please check with your local electric provider for more information,” the agency said.
Here are some tips to help you conserve energy during high-demand periods:
- Cover windows with insulated curtains.
- Set ceiling fans on reverse to re-circulate the heat that builds up near the ceilings.
- Open blinds, drapes, or shades during the day (if the sun is shining) to warm your home.
- Avoid using large appliances.
- Turn off and unplug non-essential lights and appliances.
- Commercial business: Turn off any lights and office equipment (or place them in sleep mode) when space is not in use.