Summer just began a scant 2 weeks ago, and it is going to be a scorcher. We are very cognizant of the effects heat and high power usage throughout Texas have on your electric service and are working hard to mitigate those effects. Knowledge of power is empowering.
By the time you read this, ERCOT will have likely requested voluntary energy conservation. If we pay attention to and follow these voluntary requests, we can avoid problems and save money for our member-consumers and the Co-op in the future.
Electric ReliabilityCouncil of Texas (ERCOT)
ERCOT CEO Pablo Vegas said, “The tools that we have used over the last couple of summers are going to be critically important leading into this 1”. The tools he was speaking of include reserving power from battery storage sites, requiring government buildings to reduce their usage, and if necessary, calling on regular consumers to conserve.
ERCOT called for voluntary conservation 11 times last summer. This is done through the issuance of Emergency Energy Alerts. The severity of the alerts ranges from Level 1 to Level 3. Notices generated by Rio Grande Electric Cooperative (RGEC) on social media and other avenues are driven by these alerts.
The majority of Rio Grande’s members were willing participants in the conservation efforts, and we sincerely thank you for your conservation and your cooperation.
Power Shortages
Power shortages are more possible in recent times due to rapid growth in population, industry, and such energy-intensive activities as Bitcoin mining. The number of dispatchable, steady-state generation facilities such as coal and natural gas-powered plants has declined, while wind and solar generation output declines during the evening hours.
Remember that when something is in short supply, the cost is likely to go up. It happened during Winter Storm Uri, however, for the most part, RGEC was able to shield members from exorbitant rates.
Conservation
Conservation is called for when power demand is projected to exceed the amount of power available for a certain day/time. Typically, shortages this year occur between the hours of 6 p.m. through 9 p.m. when wind and solar die down in the evenings.
ERCOT has a team of professionals dedicated to forecasting the effects of weather, generation facility status, and myriad other factors in determining when conservation is necessary. You can subscribe to ERCOT alerts yourself, or view the operations dashboard at the ERCOT website.
Load Shedding
Should statewide conservation efforts fail, Rio Grande would be called on to “shed load”, or reduce the amount of power we are providing. It would be in 15-minute increments so that no 1 would be without power for a very long at a time. This is why you may hear the term ‘rolling blackouts’. We don’t consider them ‘blackouts’, as they are actually controlled power interruptions to specific areas. ERCOT dictates the amount of load to shed, and by our wholesale power contracts, we must comply. Notification of such takes place through our social media channels, website, and SmartHub.
Prioritized Entities
Prioritized entities with “Critical Load Status” include designations for public safety, industrial, and natural gas infrastructure members such as hospitals, power generation, water systems, etc. This status, however, cannot guarantee an uninterrupted regular or continuous power supply, but if possible, these are spared from load-shedding events.
Conclusion
As we embrace the summer heat, we remain steadfast in our commitment to navigate through the challenges it brings. We are deeply grateful for the trust our members place in RGEC, and we want to assure you that we are dedicated to empowering each and every 1 of you. Together, with our collective efforts in energy conservation and the strategic tools at our disposal, we will continue to provide reliable and cost-effective service. Thank you for your continued faith and active participation in making RGEC a source of strength and empowerment.