Apparently, ERCOT might declare an emergency in Texas

The council said they’re not expecting outages, but might declare an emergency

Karly Williams

April 13, 2021Updated: April 13, 2021 5:29 p.m.

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A map of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas’ (ERCOT) grid system at the grid operator’s control center near Austin.

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About 50 people gather Sunday afternoon outside ERCOT’s campus in suburban Austin, demanding the nonprofit take responsibility for the disastrous failure that plunged millions into darkness without heat or water.

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Briana Griffith, center, speaks during Sunday’s protest in Austin. “We’re here to demand better, and to make sure this doesn’t happen again,” Griffith says.

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Utility workers repair a burnt-out switch in Austin, Texas, Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021. Scores of Texans who have reported skyrocketing electric bills in the storm’s aftermath. For some whose electricity prices are not fixed and are instead tied to the fluctuating wholesale price, the spikes have been astronomical. (Tamir Kalifa/The New York Times)

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Yes, you read that right.

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas is once again telling residents of the state to conserve energy, peeling away the still-healing scabs of Texans’ trauma inflicted during the power outages of the February deep freeze.

The council tweeted their request Tuesday afternoon, citing “outages typical in April” and a stalled cold front over the state as being responsible for possible stress on the power system.

Texans are being encouraged to reduce energy use throughout the afternoon and evening of April 13.

Though ERCOT didn’t declare an emergency, they didn’t dismiss the possibility. If an emergency is declared, more assistance could be provided to supply energy.

But the group says outages won’t be happening as they did earlier in the year. Remember? When most of Texas froze over and we all went into survival mode?

CPS Energy posted tips on their socials for San Antonians looking to conserve energy.

Colder air in North Texas could bring severe weather to some parts of the state, while temperatures in San Antonio are forecast to drop to the 50s at their lowest.

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Karly Williams