ERCOT urges Texans to conserve power over the weekend as 6 power generation facilities go

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — ERCOT, the embattled power grid operator for most of Texas, is urging customers to conserve energy for a five-hour peak period on Saturday and Sunday as it confronts both unseasonably hot weather and six power generation facilities tripping offline.

The nonprofit agency’s CEO, Brad Jones, revealed the facilities going offline Friday afternoon resulted in the loss of 2,900 megawatts of power.

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Jones added that with soaring temperatures expected for the second straight weekend, power demand will be pushed to the limit.

“We’re asking Texans to conserve power when they can by setting their thermostats to 78 degrees or above and avoiding the usage of large appliances (such as dishwashers, washers and dryers) during peak hours between 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. through the weekend,” Jones said in a statement.

As of late Friday afternoon, all reserve generation resources available are operating, Jones said.

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