Texas power grid operator issues winter weather warning

The operator of Texas’ power grid has issued a weather watch extending until Friday, Jan. 10, due to forecasts of cold weather, rising electrical demand and a possible dip in energy reserves.

The statement issued Sunday by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) said grid conditions are expected to remain normal, adding that there’s no immediate risk of outages. ERCOT said it’s monitoring the situation and will make use of all available tools to ensure the electrical supply remains reliable.
Texans aren’t required to take any action, although reducing electrical use at peak demand times can lower demand on the grid, according to ERCOT officials.

Those who want to more closely monitor the status of state’s grid can sign up for notifications through the Texas Advisory and Notification System and access real-time conditions at ERCOT’s website.

Concerns about the stability of the state’s electrical grid continue to swirl after 2021’s Winter Storm Uri knocked out power to millions of Texans, resulting in the loss of hundreds of lives.

Texas is the only U.S. state with its own power grid that’s not interconnected with others. While the Texas Legislature passed measures designed to safeguard the state from another devastating outage like the one in 2021, critics have questioned whether those changes went far enough.

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This article appears in Dec 26, 2024 – Jan 1, 2025.