What you need to know
It is unlikely that ERCOT will implement rotating power outages or ask Texans to conserve electricity in December, the grid operator found.
During the winter, demand for electricity spikes when people get up in the morning and return home in the evening. Less solar and wind power are available during these “higher-risk” periods, which can cause tight grid conditions, ERCOT CEO Pablo Vegas said last year.
This December, the tightest period is expected to be from 7-8 a.m. each day, when little to no solar power is being produced. ERCOT found that there will be a 1.81% chance of a grid emergency during that time.
“Under typical grid conditions, the deterministic scenario indicates that there should be sufficient generating capacity available” in December, the report reads.
The background
During periods of high electric demand with low wind and solar capacity, ERCOT may direct large industrial customers to reduce their power consumption or ask Texans to voluntarily reduce their energy use for a few hours.
Officials last asked residents to conserve electricity during a January 2024 arctic blast. The power grid withstood three cold snaps—including snow in the Dallas-Fort Worth area—early this year. ERCOT has not asked residents to conserve energy this year, according to agency records.
Ahead of a freeze in early January, state leaders said the power grid was “very strong.”
“We've got more supply on the grid than we’ve ever had before,” Vegas said Jan. 8. “The generator and transmission community has been doing everything they need to do to make sure that their facilities will be running safely and reliably throughout events just like this.”
At the Capitol
Earlier this year, Texas lawmakers approved legislation designed to make the grid more reliable by tightening regulations on large electric consumers, such as data centers.
Under Senate Bill 6, which became law June 20, large customers are required to supply backup power that can be used during grid emergencies. As previously reported by Community Impact, customers that use at least 75 megawatts of power, including data centers and industrial projects, will be required to switch to backup generators to reduce strain on the grid in extreme conditions. Large electric customers must also install equipment allowing the state to remotely disconnect power from their facilities, known as a “kill switch” provision.
Lawmakers said in May that these provisions would encourage large companies to rely fully on backup power during emergencies.
“We certainly don't want large-load customers that sometimes are data centers for military operations to just be without power,” Rep. Ken King, R-Canadian, said.
During a Sept. 23 meeting, Vegas told ERCOT board members that the agency was working with the Public Utility Commission of Texas to create rules to implement SB 6. The new rules are expected to be finalized next year, according to agency documents.
Stay tuned
ERCOT issues monthly overviews of planned grid resources on the first Friday of each month. The report outlining January’s grid capacity and conditions is scheduled to be released in early November, and the February report is scheduled for early December.
Past reports are available on the agency’s website.
ERCOT’s board of directors is scheduled to meet Dec. 8-9. According to previous Community Impact reporting, agency leaders often discuss seasonal grid outlooks and review recent legislative changes during board meetings.
