As temperatures remain above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, Texas may break the record again. As of 3:15 p.m. July 14, the council’s six-day supply and demand forecast estimated over 85,000 mw of demand around 4 p.m. July 18.
ERCOT issued a “weather watch” for July 16-18. Weather watches are used to notify Texans ahead of periods of high demand, but no action is necessary.
During a weather watch, grid conditions are normal, and there is enough capacity to meet demand.
If the energy supply gets low, ERCOT may ask Texans to voluntarily conserve energy during a certain time period. Voluntary conservation notices are typically issued in the evening, when more people are home and using electricity.
Officials asked residents to reduce their energy use from 4-8 p.m. June 20. This was voluntary and differs from an emergency alert.
During hot weather, officials recommend turning up the temperature in homes, limiting the use of major appliances, turning off lights and closing blinds to conserve energy and stay cool.
Texans can sign up here to receive weather watches and other alerts from ERCOT. The agency previously issued weather watches for June 15-21 and 25-30.
