All 254 Texas counties declared a winter storm warning as a cold arctic blast made its way down impacting the entire state of Texas. This rare occurrence has set a new record for winter peak demand for the Texas power system. According to ERCOT (Electric Reliability Council of Texas), the new record was set between 6 and 7 p.m. reaching 69,150 megawatts (MW). The new record breaks the old set in January 2018 by more than 3,200 MW.
Emergency Request by ERCOT
Over a million Texans woke up Monday morning without power and freezing temperatures. The U.S. Secretary of Energy granted ERCOT permission under Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act to implement rotating power outages to preserve the reliability of the bulk electric power system. The order will be effective immediately and will remain through February 19, 2021. ERCOT has instructed Austin Energy along with utility companies across the state to begin rotating power outages.
Controlled rotating power outages serve to balance the demand and supply of energy throughout the state. There is no doubt the drop in temperatures will produce surging demand that will surpass the supply of power generated. Rotating power outages will restore the balance between supply and demand and reduce the risks of massive blackouts. According to Oncor, a utility that operates in the Dallas–Fort Worth area as well as other regions across North Texas, controlled outages are reported to last anywhere from 15 to 45-minutes.
Winter Storm Outages vs. Controlled Rotating Power Outages
If you are experiencing a power outage lasting longer than an hour then chances are good this has been caused by the winter storm and is not part of the controlled rotating outage. The accumulation of snow and ice on the power lines can lead to added weight and may cause damage to the structure. Falling tree branches onto power lines are also the main culprit when it comes to long-lasting outages.
- (Update: Feb 15, 2021 / 4:35 PM CST) Oncor has reported they are using all available resources to restore power as quickly as possible. Customers do not need to report outages at this time.
- CenterPoint Energy has taken steps to reduce energy demand and restore the balance through controlled power outages.
The controlled rotating power outages are expected to extend throughout the week as demand is estimated to continue to outpace supply.