Texas Grid Operator Urges Power Conservation Amid Rising Temperatures and Prices

HOUSTON (Reuters) – Texas’ power-grid operator has urged residents to reduce their electricity consumption this weekend due to six generating plants going offline amid a heat wave.

Record-high temperatures have increased the demand for air conditioning, leading to skyrocketing wholesale electricity prices this week. The plea for conservation follows a spike in prices, which briefly exceeded $4,000 per megawatt hour (MWh) in Houston on Friday afternoon, compared to less than $6 MWh earlier in the day.

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) reported that six generation plants, responsible for 2,900 megawatts (MW) of power, unexpectedly went offline on Friday afternoon. However, all generation facilities had returned to operation, according to Interim ERCOT Chief Executive Brad Jones in a later statement.

"We’re asking Texans to conserve power whenever possible," Jones emphasized, requesting that residents raise their thermostats to 78 degrees Fahrenheit (25.5 Celsius) or higher and avoid using high-energy appliances during peak usage hours throughout the weekend.

ERCOT previously estimated that power demand would peak at 71,152 megawatts on Monday. This figure would surpass the May record of 70,703 MW set on May 9, but would still fall short of the state’s all-time peak of 74,820 MW reached in August 2019.

Meteorologists from AccuWeather predict temperatures in Houston will rise to 98 degrees Fahrenheit on Monday, following a period of low 90s over the weekend. The typical high for this time of year is around 86 degrees.