ERCOT Issues Another Power Emergency
Agency asks Texans to conserve electricity 3-7pm today
By Lee Nichols, 3:46PM, Wed. Aug. 3, 2011
Just like yesterday, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas has issued a "Level 1" emergency power warning and asked Texans to reduce their electricity usage 3-7pm today. The agency warns that it may have to go to the more extreme Level 2.
“There’s a possibility that we may have to go to a level 2 emergency today which authorizes operators to drop the interruptible loads – large customers paid to be dropped in a level 2 emergency," said Kent Saathoff, ERCOT's vice president of system planning and operations, in a press release. "Dropping the load resources provides extra capacity for the remaining customers.
“We’re expecting record high temperatures and electricity demand to continue for the remainder of the week, so we are asking consumers and businesses to reduce their electricity as much as they are able for the remainder of the week,” Saathoff said.
Today's statement was essentially identical to yesterday's, so see that post for tips on how to cut back on your power usage.
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