ERCOT Issues “Conservation Appeal” For Texans As Polar Vortex To Spark “Record-Breaking Demand”

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) posted warnings on the social media platform X on Sunday afternoon, warning residents across Texas to conserve power ahead of tight grid conditions as a polar vortex split pours dangerously cold air into the state. 

TXANS Update—Jan. 14, 2024: ERCOT has issued a Conservation Appeal for Monday, Jan. 15, from 6 – 10 a.m. CT. Operating reserves are expected to be low tomorrow morning due to continued freezing temperatures, record-breaking demand, and unseasonably low wind. We request Texas… pic.twitter.com/EGBg8zliSs

— ERCOT (@ERCOT_ISO) January 14, 2024

ERCOT issued another warning early Monday, indicating a “Conservation Appeal” begins at 0600 through 1000 local time “due to continued freezing temperatures, record-breaking demand, and unseasonably low wind.”

TXANS Update—January 15, 2024: ERCOT has issued a Conservation Appeal for today, Jan. 15, from 6 – 10 a.m. CT due to continued freezing temperatures, record-breaking demand, and unseasonably low wind. We ask that Texas businesses and residents conserve electricity use, if safe to…

— ERCOT (@ERCOT_ISO) January 15, 2024

The grid operator, which manages approximately 90% of the Lone Star State’s electric load, is receiving its first major test of grid stability for the new year. In fact, this is the first big test of the grid since Winter Storm Uri in 2021. 

The coming storm is a test for how well this green energy infrastructure can hold up under the kind of tough conditions that are expected to become more common as the climate continues to change. Texas is particularly vulnerable to weather extremes because it’s not connected to any other grid that could supply power in an emergency. But power operators in other places are probably watching how these solutions work.

One big advantage Texas has: The upcoming winter storm isn’t forecast to be as wet, widespread or as long-lasting as Uri, reducing the risk of power plant components freezing across the state for days on end. -Bloomberg 

Last week, energy-focused research firm Criterion Research told clients in a note that ERCOT will likely survive the big cold shot. 

The latest forecasts from ERCOT show that the capacity should be adequate to meet a peak grid load of 80,819 MW. The grid operator has some room to spare. 

About 14,000 customers have forced power outages. 

When writing this note, the fuel mix on the grid is primarily natural gas and coal. 

Texans are still at risk of more widespread forced power outages amid the cold snap. 

For more details about the overall US grid stability, we penned a note Sunday night tilted “We’re Going To See Brownouts In Major US Cities”: Competition For Electricity Is Now An Unstoppable Race.