During a time of record hot temperatures across Texas, The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) issued an appeal to residents and businesses to voluntarily conserve electricity Monday between 2-8 p.m. ERCOT also issued an alert for a projected reserve capacity shortage during that time.
However, ERCOT said it does not expect system-wide outages due to the record energy demand produced by the heat wave.
ERCOT manages 90 percent of the state's power load for more than 26 million customers. On Sunday, it issued the conservation appealas projections show demand could exceed supply on Monday afternoon.
The state's Public Utility Commission (PUC) recommends people turn up their thermostat 2-3 degrees higher from 2-7 p.m., avoid the use of large appliances during those hours, close shades and blinds, and use fans in order to conserve energy.
Lubbock Power & Light on Monday morning echoed ERCOT's calls for conservation.
In February 2021, severe winter weather overwhelmed the Texas power grid, causing ERCOT to institute days-long rolling blackouts — leading to 246 deaths. At the time, Lubbock was not a part of the ERCOT power grid. That changed in 2021 when 70% of Lubbock Power & Light customers were added to that grid following a years-long plan to do so.
Related:Failure Of Power: How Millions Of Texans Were Left In The Dark
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