Residents in the Rio Grande Valley are being asked to conserve electricity for another day.
Residents in the Rio Grande Valley are being asked to conserve electricity for another day.
ERCOT, the grid operator for most of Texas, says all Valley residents and businesses need to cut down on the use of electricity until 7 p.m. today.
“We continue to have limited generation resources available, and temperatures remain high,” said Dan Woodfin, ERCOT director of System Operations. “We appreciate this support from Valley-area residents and businesses to help maintain system reliability in the area.”
Since Monday the grid operator has asked for the power conservation in hopes of avoiding rolling brown outs.
“We believe these voluntary actions by consumers can help prevent the need for further action, such as rotating outages, to maintain overall reliability in the Valley,” said Woodfin.
You can reduce your use of electricity by implementing the following suggestions:
- Turn thermostat up 2-3 degrees.
- Set programmable thermostats to higher temperatures when no one is home.
- If home, use fans to feel 4-6 degrees cooler.
- Limit use of your dishwasher, washer, dryer, etc. until after 7 p.m.
- If you cook indoors, use a microwave or slow cooker.
- Close blinds and drapes during late afternoon.
ERCOT says the power usage problem is only in the Valley and says the grid is not experiencing any systemwide issues at this time.
