ERCOT issuing Winter Weather Watch in Texas through Sunday
HOUSTON - With the cold weather approaching the first week of February, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) has issued a Watch effective through Sunday, Feb. 6.
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This is because an approaching cold front is expected to bring freezing temperatures and precipitation throughout Texas. However, ERCOT officials say they are closely monitoring the weather conditions and project they will have enough power to meet the high demand.
"ERCOT is using all the tools available to manage the grid effectively during this winter weather," Interim CEO Brad Jones said in a press release. "ERCOT will deploy all the resources and aggressively implement the tools available to us to manage the grid reliably during this winter weather.
Gov. Abbott addresses severe winter weather and power grid concerns
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott joined other Texas leaders in addressing the oncoming severe winter weather. The group addressed growing concerns over the power grid capacity in light of the deadly 2021 winter storm that left millions in the state without electricity and water for days.
"We will continue coordinating closely with the Texas Division of Emergency Management, the Public Utility Commission, the Railroad Commission, and elected officials — as well as electric generators and transmission and distribution utilities — to keep Texans informed throughout the week," he continued. "While grid conditions remain strong with enough capacity, our weather forecasts show there is potential for significant frozen precipitation behind this week’s cold front."
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Among the many reforms ERCOT has done, according to the press release, include:
- Inspected generating units and transmission and distribution facilities for weatherization to comply with new PUC requirements. ERCOT has inspected hundreds of electric generation units and transmission facilities and found only 3 with any deficiencies.
- Requiring CEO attestations of weather readiness. A rule change implemented last year requires all market participants who own or operate generation resources and/or transmission/distribution power lines to submit a letter signed by their CEO twice a year certifying their companies have completed their weatherization preparations to protect the electric grid for the summer and winter seasons.
- Taking a more conservative approach to operating the grid. ERCOT’s grid management is at its most aggressive since the market was created two decades ago. ERCOT is increasing operational reserves to ensure adequate generation is available to Texas homes and businesses and is bringing more generation online sooner if it is needed to balance supply and demand. The grid operator is also purchasing more reserve power, especially on days when the weather forecast is uncertain.
- Assessing on-site fuel supplies. ERCOT has assessed the on-site fuel supply for some gas-fired generators.
- Performing unannounced testing of generation resources. This testing helps verify that generators have provided accurate information about their availability.
ERCOT also says to be aware of the signs caused by natural disasters that would warrant a call from your local energy company.
"With frozen precipitation, there is always a chance for local outages caused by things like ice on wires or fallen tree limbs," Jones added. "These local outages are not related to the amount of available electricity generated and put on the grid. Texans should contact their utility in the event they experience a localized outage."