With a new peak weekend demand record set at 84,805 MW yesterday, and an expected lower availability of thermal generation capacity, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas has asked Texans to voluntarily reduce power consumption 7-10 p.m. this evening.

During this timeframe solar production will drop off but high temperatures will keep energy demand very high. Any reduction in usage by raising thermostats, delaying high-usage activities and unplugging unnecessary electronics will assist in keeping the load within available generation capacity.

ERCOT’s Release:

ERCOT Issues Voluntary Conservation Notice

Effective Today, August 20 from 7 p.m. – 10 p.m. CT.

(Austin, TX) – ERCOT is asking Texans to voluntarily reduce electricity use, if safe to do so, due to extreme temperatures, continued high demand, and unexpected loss of thermal generation. This Voluntary Conservation Notice is in effect today, August 20, from 7 p.m. – 10 p.m. CT.

The Voluntary Conservation Notice is part of ERCOT’s Texas Advisory and Notification System (TXANS), alerting the public of grid conditions.

ERCOT is requesting all government agencies (including city and county offices) to implement all programs to reduce energy use at their facilities.

ERCOT is not experiencing emergency conditions at this time. Voluntary conservation is a widely used industry tool that can help lower demand for a specific period of peak demand time, which is typically late afternoon into the evening hours.

ERCOT is using additional tools to manage the grid reliably, including using reserve power, calling upon reductions by large electric customers that have volunteered to lower their energy use and bringing more generation online sooner.

If you are experiencing an outage, it is local in nature and not related to overall grid reliability. Please check with your local electric provider for more information.

Energy-saving tips can be found on the TXANS webpage at ercot.com/txans.

Peak Demand

  • ERCOT set a new, all-time, unofficial peak demand record of 85,435 MW on August 10, 2023.
  • Yesterday, ERCOT set a new all-time weekend peak demand record of 84,805 MW.
  • In 2022, the August peak demand was 78,465 MW.
  • This summer, ERCOT has set 10 new all-time peak demand records.
  • Last summer, ERCOT set 11 new peak demand records with a high of 80,148 MW on July 20.

 Why the Request to Voluntarily Reduce Usage?

  • Extreme Heat. Continued statewide extreme temperatures today.
  • Record Demand. Texas is seeing near-record demand due to the heat.
  • Solar. Solar generation declines into the evening hours, before completely going offline at sunset.
  • Generation. Unexpected loss of thermal generation.

Consumer Assistance

  • Public Utility Commission of Texas Hotline: 1-888-782-8477

 Stay Updated

  • Sign up for TXANS notifications on the TXANS webpage.
  • Download the ERCOT Mobile App for additional notifications: iOS | Android.
  • Monitor real-time and extended conditions at ercot.com.
  • Subscribe to ERCOT Emergency Alerts which are not sent through TXANS notifications.
  • Follow ERCOT on Twitter (@ERCOT_ISO), Facebook (Electric Reliability Council of Texas), and LinkedIn (ERCOT).