The Texas Electric Reliability Council (ERCOT) declared its highest state of emergency after an unusual winter storm that hit Lone Star State, bringing record low temperatures and leaving millions without power.
The grid operator had already asked Texans to cut electricity usage as much as possible by Tuesday.
“We are experiencing record electrical demand due to the extremely low temperatures that hit Texas,” said ERCOT President and CEO Bill Magness.
He added: “At the same time, we are dealing with higher than normal generation interruptions due to frozen wind turbines and limited supplies of natural gas available for generating units. We are asking Texans to take some simple and safe measures to reduce their energy use during this weather. “
ERCOT is asking Texans to take energy-saving precautions, including turning off and off lights and non-essential appliances, avoiding the use of large appliances and lowering thermostats to 68 degrees.
On Monday night, the Texas Public Service Commission granted permission to ERCOT to adjust its pricing models as demand increases, reports NBC4i.
“The Commission believes that this result is inconsistent with the fundamental design of the ERCOT market”, says the request. “Energy prices must reflect the scarcity of supply. If the customer’s load is being reduced, the shortage is at its maximum and the market price for the energy needed to meet that load must also be at its highest level. “
In an interview on Tuesday with the WFAA, Magness noted that 70 to 80 of the state’s 680 plants are still shut down. As of Tuesday morning, at least 4 million Texans were without power.
Texas residents are criticizing the state authorities’ lack of preparedness for emergencies as they continue to experience exceptionally low temperatures.
At least 11 people died as a result of the winter storm, including a woman and a girl who died as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning after taking shelter in their car in a garage to keep warm.
Magness said the storm, with its combination of low temperatures, snow and freezing rain, was historic and required a reassessment of state preparedness.
“The amount of demand that is placed on the electrical system far exceeds any extreme predictions that we have had in the past,” he told WFAA. “We need to recalibrate based on what we saw with the storm system.”