AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin Mayor Kirk Watson on Monday held a press conference to update the public on electric grid conditions and provide tips on how to conserve energy as the thick of the summer heat is impacting Central Texas.
Austin saw an unseasonably cool and wet July, with the average temperature for the month being cooler than June’s — for the first time since 2008.
However, August is heating the Austin metro area back up. According to the KXAN First Warning Weather Team, the Climate Prediction Center’s forecast from August 19th through 25th is forecasting hotter and drier than normal weather conditions. This means that we are in for several more days of triple-digit heat with “normal” highs in the upper 90s.
Watson warned Austinites Monday as temperatures rise, the statewide electric grid, overseen by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) — could get tight over the rest of the summer. Watson also provided some tips on energy conservation and where to find more resources on dealing with the heat.
Watson said Austin Energy is required to follow the ERCOT directives to reduce energy usage, often with little advance notice, which means it could ask for immediate conservation measures, and everyone should be ready to take steps to help stabilize the grid.
“We know how critical electric service is to our customers and community, especially for our neighbors who need electricity for medical devices,” Watson said. “Small changes at your home or office really can have an instantaneous effect on the statewide electric grid and, hopefully, avoid ERCOT-mandated controlled outages.”
Watson said conserving in small ways makes big differences. He suggested the following easy steps:
- Adjust AC temperature
- Don’t constantly run appliances
- Turn off lights
- Businesses should be “smart about their usage” in late afternoons/early evenings
He said though those measures “might sound trivial,” Austin Energy can see the “load curve” go down immediately when people work to conserve.
The curve going down means less electricity is being consumed and the available power generation on the grid is more likely to be sufficient.
Watson said right now, grid conditions are “normal,” but can change suddenly, and people should be prepared for conservation requests from ERCOT or Austin Energy.