Cause of nat gas spike ERCOT Warns of Power Outages With Record Heat in the Weekend Forecast
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) says power outages may be necessary from Friday afternoon through Saturday night due to demand during record-breaking temperatures expected in Texas this weekend.
According to ERCOT’s operational messages, if the demand depletes reserves then the strain on the power grid may lead to outages; ERCOT will continue to re-evaluate conditions.
NBC 5’s team of weather experts has said temperatures on Friday will warm to near 90 and that they’ll go up from there. On Saturday a high of 94 is expected and on Mother’s Day temperatures are expected to climb to 97. See the latest forecast here.
This isn’t the first time the Texas-based electric company has faced criticism due to power outages.
The widespread blackouts from the February 2021 winter storm caused millions of Texans to lose power and are blamed for more than 200 deaths, many of which were due to hypothermia.
ERCOT was also subject to multiple lawsuits alleging that the company was not prepared for the storm or the state-wide blackouts.
The company has since taken extra precautions such as being more transparent and weatherizing power plants, officials said.
HERE ARE SOME TIPS TO STAY COOL IN CASE OF AN OUTAGE:
According to Aire Serv, the average home will stay warm for eight to 12 hours after the power goes out. Below are a few methods to stay cool in case your home experiences an outage.
Drink plenty of water
Keep refrigerators or freezer doors closed, only use when needed
Purchase battery-powered fans
Take a cool shower or bath
Block out the sun by closing all blinds or covering windows
Close doors in rooms with high heat and place a wet towel under the door to soak up the heat
Stay downstairs in order to avoid heat moving upwards
Visit the ERCOT website for more information and updates.