Texas' Early Call for Power Conservation Sends Worrisome Signal

May 24, 2022--Written by John Egan for Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Texans may be in for another white-knuckle season for electricity. Earlier this month, after a prolonged spell of above-average temperatures drove up electric demand, six power plants tripped offline and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) (Austin, Texas) issued a request for Texans to turn up their thermostat to conserve energy and prevent rolling blackouts.

The six power plants, which have total generating capacity of about 2,900 megawatts (MW), were offline for only a short period of time on Friday, May 13, ERCOT said. The agency blamed "unseasonably hot weather (for) driving record (electric) demand across Texas." It asked Texans "to conserve power when they can by setting their thermostats to 78 degrees (Fahrenheit) or above and avoiding the usage of large appliances (such as dishwashers, washers and dryers) during peak hours between 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. through the weekend" of May 14-15.