HOUSTON – ERCOT put out a notice at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday afternoon saying the state’s reserve levels dropped below 2,300 megawatts, putting into effect an Energy Emergency Alert level 1.
“We are requesting that consumers and businesses reduce their electricity use during peak electricity hours from 3 to 7 p.m. today, particularly between 4 and 5 p.m. when we expect to hit another peak demand record,” said Kent Saathoff, vice president of system planning and operations. “We do not know at this time if additional emergency steps will be needed.”
Under an alert level 1, grid operators are instructed to use capacity available from other grids in the region. If the reserve level drops below 1,750 megawatts, an alert level 2 emergency would be declared.
Officials said the forecast for peak demand on Tuesday is 67,084 megawatts, more than Monday’s new all-time record of 66,867 megawatts. The previous record was 65,776 megawatts, set August 23, 2010.
