The operator of Texas’ energy grid requested residents to preserve electrical energy Friday after six energy crops went offline amid souring temperatures.
Brad Jones, CEO of the Electrical Reliability Council of Texas, stated in a press release that the corporate had misplaced roughly 2,900 megawatts of electrical energy — or sufficient to energy almost 600,000 houses, the Texas Tribune reported.
Jones referenced the unseasonably sizzling climate, saying it was driving the demand for energy throughout the state. Temperatures approaching 100 levels have been forecast from Austin to Dallas over the weekend and into subsequent week.
Jones didn’t say why the crops went offline, and a spokesperson didn’t reply to a request for remark Friday night.
The manager requested prospects to set their thermostats to 78 levels and keep away from utilizing massive home equipment within the afternoon and early night.
The non-profit vitality group, which manages energy for 90 p.c of Texas’ electrical grid, confronted blistering criticism final 12 months after blackouts left hundreds of thousands with out energy for days throughout subfreezing temperatures.
The corporate blamed frozen gear in an occasion that left greater than 200 folks useless, many from carbon monoxide poisoning as they tried to remain heat. Others freeze to loss of life.
The corporate’s CEO was fired and 6 board members — together with the chairwoman and chairman — resigned.
State lawmakers responded with a raft of laws aimed toward making the grid extra resilient to a brutal winter storm.
Practically a 12 months later, an investigation by NBC Information and the Texas Tribune discovered that the grid remained weak, with new rules permitting corporations to keep away from the enhancements.
