US power grid operator calls for lower consumption as summer crunch looms
London (Quantum Commodity Intelligence) – US power grid operators in southern states have called on consumers to moderate consumption as soaring temperatures and supply restrictions could lead to critical scenarios with Texas again set to bear the brunt, US media outlets reported.
Grid operator the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, or ERCOT, warned earlier in the week that power supplies were low due to many forced generation outages and record June demand.
It appealed to end-users to "reduce electric use as much as possible" by setting thermostats to 78F (25.5) degrees or higher, unplugging unused devices and avoiding using large electrical appliances, like pool pumps and washing machines, until demand decreased late in the day.
Texas faced widespread blackouts in February after a deadly storm brought large parts of the power grid to a standstill, meaning the state faces power shortages in just four months from cold and hot weather.
ERCOT said the issue is not due to transmitting power across the state, but rather an unexpected amount of equipment that was offline, triggered by generation owners themselves and their resources.
Demand
On Monday, 12,178 MW of the grid's 86,862 MW of generating capacity was offline, ERCOT said, leaving a razor-thin margin of reserve capacity.
ERCOT had predicted a peak demand load on its system of up to 73,000 MW, far above the previous June record of 69,123 MW set in June 2018.
In an update Wednesday, ERCOT said conservation efforts and "changes in procedures and processes" prevented rotating outages on Monday as demand set new records.
Preliminary data indicates a new record of 69,943 MW of demand, which exceeds the 2018 June record by approximately 820 MW, according to information released by ERCOT.
"Rotating" outages, also known as "rolling blackouts," are power shutdowns engineered intentionally to prevent a full blackout of the system.
Other southern and western States also face soaring temperatures this week, in turn underpinning prices for natural gas which is a primary fuel for power generation.
US power prices have rocketed this week with the southwestern power hubs of Palo Verde and Mead 230 both trading above $150/MWh on the Intercontinental Exchange, rising more than 400% from previous settlements of around $30/MWh last week.