ERCOT Texas: Record temperatures over Mother’s Day weekend could push power grid to emergency

ERCOT, the state’s grid operator, made its first announcement on Tuesday before the expected spike in temperatures could break or break records later this week.

“ERCOT will issue a (Operation Status Notice) for Extreme Hot Weather with forecast temperatures above 94 in the North Central and South Central weather areas, from Friday, May 6, 2022 to Monday May 9, 2022”, operator grid wrote on it public announcement page Tuesday morning.

SEE MORE: A few chances of rain before the heat ends for Mother’s Day weekend

According to ERCOT, the Operating Conditions Notice, or OCN, is “the first of four levels of communication issued by the grid operator in anticipation of a possible Emergency.” This usually stems from the need for additional resources. The highest alert, “EEA 3,” indicates an ongoing alternation.

The operator followed up with that with an Advanced Notice of Action, or AAN, “due to a possible future Emergency due to a lack of capacity,” in effect Friday afternoon through Thursday night. Seven.

So what does all of this mean for Texans? The power on which millions of people in the state depend could be pushed to its limits, even bringing energy reserves into question. Tuesday marked the first announcement associated with the weekend’s record heat.

The heat is also affecting some power plants that will go offline over the weekend for maintenance during peak temperatures.

ERCOT said it will do another review on Wednesday.

ERCOT has faced pressure from both utility customers and lawmakers after widespread power outages during a deadly winter storm in February 2021 left millions without energy and 246 people died.

SEE MORE: This is how you can check the Texas grid in real time

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