FORNEY, Texas — ERCOT, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, has issued a Weather Watch from August 23-27 due to the forecast of higher temperatures, increased electrical demand, and the potential for lower reserves.
FORNEY, Texas — ERCOT, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, has issued a Weather Watch from August 23-27 due to the forecast of higher temperatures, increased electrical demand, and the potential for lower reserves.
The Weather Watch is an advanced notification of significant weather changes that could lead to higher electrical demand and potentially lower reserves. Despite these conditions, ERCOT reassures Texans that grid conditions are expected to remain normal, with enough capacity to meet the forecasted demand.
ERCOT set a new all-time weekend peak demand record of 85,116 megawatts (MW) on Sunday, August 20, 2023. This record surpasses the previous all-time peak demand record of 85,435 MW set on August 10. In comparison, the August peak demand in 2022 was 78,465 MW. This summer, ERCOT has set 10 new all-time peak demand records. Last year, ERCOT set 11 new peak demand records, surpassing 80 gigawatts (GW) for the first time ever.
The 6-day Supply and Demand dashboard by ERCOT indicates the possibility of new all-time peak demand records this week. The dashboards will be updated in real-time as the week progresses. ERCOT encourages Texans to sign up for grid condition notifications through the Texas Advisory and Notification System (TXANS) and monitor real-time and extended grid conditions at ercot.com.
On August 20, 2023, ERCOT issued a Voluntary Conservation Notice, asking Texans to voluntarily reduce electricity use due to extreme temperatures, high demand, and unexpected loss of thermal generation. This notice, part of ERCOT's Texas Advisory and Notification System (TXANS), was in effect from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. CT.
ERCOT is not currently experiencing emergency conditions. The Voluntary Conservation Notice is a widely used industry tool that helps lower demand during peak demand times, typically late afternoon into the evening hours.
ERCOT is also utilizing additional tools to manage the grid reliably, 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.
ERCOT reminds Texans that reducing electric use during peak demand times can help save energy and lower demand on the grid. Energy-saving tips can be found on the TXANS webpage.
