ERCOT energy conservation appeal ends at 10 p.m. Thursday

David Ibañez, Web - Managing Editor

SAN ANTONIO – UPDATE 9:30 p.m.: ERCOT will end its conservation appeal for Thursday at 10 p.m. It issued the following statement Thursday night:

“The Conservation Appeal will end at 10 p.m. on 8/24. Grid conditions are expected to be normal. Thank you to Texas residents & businesses for your conservation efforts, which along with additional reliability tools, helped us to get through a tight peak time.

“A Weather Watch remains in effect through 8/27 due to continued high temperatures, high demand, and the potential for lower reserves.”

(Previously)

Residents across Texas should brace for “a very strong probability” of power outages Thursday afternoon and evening, San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg said.

The rolling outages would occur most likely between 6-9 p.m. in 15-minute increments, Nirenberg said during an afternoon press conference.

“I want to be very clear, this is a statewide issue and not a result of generation issues with CPS Energy” Nirenberg said. “The demand for energy across all of Texas is outpacing the state’s generation capacity. In load shed events, all ERCOT members must participate in rolling outages.”

Nirenberg said the city is working with the county, CPS Energy and SAWS to conserve energy.

Residents are being urged to raise their thermostats and avoid using large appliances such as ovens, washers and driers.

The conservation warning comes about three hours after ERCOT issued an appeal for Texans to conserve electricity use from 3-10 p.m. Thursday.

ERCOT said the appeal comes due to low wind-power generation and high energy demand, which is expected to reduce operating reserves for several hours.

While CPS Energy President and CEO Rudy Garza called the energy situation a “load shed event,” he said this will be much different than the winter storm in February 2021.

Nirenberg said the city may send wireless emergency alerts beginning at 4:30 p.m. to let residents know about the situation.

Here are five ways to prepare your household for a power outage.

The mayor said all city libraries will be open until 9 p.m. as cooling centers for residents.

SAN ANTONIO