Grid operator asks Texans to conserve power amid "unexpected" outages in searing heat
Texas' power grid operator has asked people to "reduce electric use as much as possible" until Friday following days of searing heat and a "significant number of forced generation outages."
Why it matters: The request by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) comes months after a deadly winter storm blew out the state's power infrastructure and left millions of Texans without power for days.
- Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) last week signed into law a pair of bills aimed at improving the state's main power grid and reforming the agency.
Details: "A significant number of forced generation outages combined with potential record electric use for the month of June has resulted in tight grid conditions," ERCOT said in a statement Monday.
- Roughly "12,000 megawatts of generation were offline Monday, or enough to power 2.4 million homes on a hot summer day," per the Texas Tribune, which notes that ERCOT officials called the power plant outages "unexpected."
What they're saying: Woody Rickerson, vice president of ERCOT's grid planning and operations, said in the agency's statement that officials will be "conducting a thorough analysis with generation owners to determine why so many units are out of service."
- "This is unusual for this early in the summer season," Rickerson added.