SAN ANTONIO – After six power facilities went offline Friday, the state’s main power grid operator is asking residents across the state to conserve power this weekend amid sweltering temperatures.
Electric Reliability Council of Texas interim CEO Brad Jones said the outage of the six power facilities resulted in 2,900 megawatts of lost electricity.
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For context, one megawatt of electricity can power up to nearly 200 Texas homes during peak demand, according to an article from the Texas Comptroller.
With temperatures reaching up to 100-degrees Fahrenheit around San Antonio this weekend, ERCOT is asking for Texans to reduce the amount of electricity they’re consuming in a specific timeframe.
“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 3pm and 8pm through the weekend,” ERCOT said in a release.