Report from KVUE Austin.
The ongoing arctic outbreak will not peak in Texas until early next week, when some users may be asked to economize on electricity during peak hours tuesday morning.
Climate adaptation means addressing both energy generation AND demand.
“We feel very good about the status of the Texas power grid and ERCOT, too, to be able to effectively and successfully ensure that the power is going to stay on throughout the entirety of this winter storm episode,” the governor said. “They have never been as prepared for a winter event as they are today, including having a secondary source of fuel available to make sure that they will not lose access to fuel.”
ERCOT officials said Tuesday morning and Wednesday morning will be the tightest times for the power grid based on current forecasts but they’re confident it will hold up to the challenge.
“There’s not an expectation of an energy emergency, and we are not calling for conservation at this point in time,” ERCOT CEO Pablo Vargas said. “Now things can change, and if it does change, we will continue to communicate openly over the course of this weekend.”
“Another thing to go after is the habit that Texas tech bros have of tearing down perfectly good modest-sized houses in residential neighborhoods and building huge glassy McMansions that require Superdome-sized heating and AC systems.”
Well, at least the gargantuated house across the street has modest windows.
But they have removed the possibility of solar panels on the house to the north that they now shadow.