Texans Urged To Conserve Power Sunday Through Tuesday Due To 'Record-Breaking' Demand
(CBSDFW.COM) - The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which manages the state's power grid, is urging Texans to conserve use "as much as possible" from Sunday, Feb. 14, through Tuesday, Feb. 16.
The entire state remains on a winter storm warning due to threats of heavy snow, ice and very cold temperatures. In North Texas, heavy snow with blizzard-like conditions is making its way through the area.
Due to the intense cold, ERCOT is asking for reduced electricity use from consumers and businesses.
"We are experiencing record-breaking electric demand due to the extreme cold temperatures that have gripped Texas," said ERCOT President and CEO Bill Magness. "At the same time, we are dealing with higher-than-normal generation outages due to frozen wind turbines and limited natural gas supplies available to generating units. We are asking Texans to take some simple, safe steps to lower their energy use during this time."
Below are some tips from ERCOT to reduce power use:
- Turn down thermostats to 68-degrees.
- Close shades and blinds to reduce the amount of heat lost through windows.
- Turn off and unplug non-essential lights and appliances.
- Avoid using large appliances (i.e., ovens, washing machines, etc.).
- Businesses should minimize the use of electric lighting and electricity-consuming equipment as much as possible.
- Large consumers of electricity should consider shutting down or reducing non-essential production processes.
Residents are urged to conserve power with safety in mind.
