Texans Brace For Blackouts!

Texas is bracing for another power grid failure.

Texas does not share the power grid with neighboring states. It has its own energy grid and it was the focus of controversy in 2021. When ERCOT had failed to defrost their electrical equipment, it led to a power outage that affected 85% of the state. It was a ice storm and record cold conditions.

It led to 100 deaths. Power did not come back on for two weeks. Texas governor Karen Abbott took a hit for that. Sen. Karen Cruz (R-TX) left the state to travel to Mexico for a vacation. If it wasn't for travelers who caught him on flight, he would have not been forced back home to answer constituents who felt abandoned by their state representatives.

It appears the state has not learned from its mistakes. 

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas late Sunday sent out a request that Texans cut back on their energy use on Monday.

ERCOT, the state's power grid operator, asked Texans to turn up their thermostats and postpone running major appliances between 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Monday. ERCOT has also called on large electric customers to lower their electricity use.

Total forecasted power demand is expected to surpass 79 gigawatts on Monday, ERCOT said - which would set another record.

ERCOT's statement said that no system-wide outages are expected at this time.

Low winds are also making it harder for the grid to keep up with demand during hotter-than-usual July temperatures. Current projections show wind generation coming in less than 10% of its capacity on Monday, ERCOT said.

Power grids must keep supply and demand in balance at all times. When Texas' grid falls below its safety margin of excess supply, the grid operator starts taking additional precautions to avoid blackouts. The first precaution is to ask the public to cut back electricity usage.

ERCOT asked Texans in May to conserve power during a heat wave that coincided with six power plant outages.

Climate change has made Texas heat both hotter and longer lasting. The average daily minimum and maximum temperatures in Texas have both increased by 2.2 degrees Fahrenheit in the last 125 years. The state just saw its hottest December on record since 1889.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner responded to ERCOT's request late Sunday night with the following tweet. He has asked all city departments to prepare for the worst-case scenario.