Power Play: Texas Asks Residents To Ration AC To Prevent Outages

DALLAS, TX —Out of the fat, and into the fire.

Electrical grid operators are asking, warning and pleading with residents to use electricity as sparingly as possible over the coming days as temps in the Lone Star State strain the system once again.

While it's not even officially summer, heat indexes pushing past the 90-degree mark triggered a warning from the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) Monday.

ERCOT has already distinguished itself this year for the power failure that left millions of Texans in the dark or with tubs full of frozen water for day after powerless day in February.

At the root of the problem is what happens when a power grid is confronted with an unexpected change in the weather. And while Texans are now asked to bake a bit more and rely less on their AC systems, Californians (who play blue state to Texas' red) are facing almost precisely the same situation.

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The price of power has been steadily rising in states where unforeseen dips or spikes in temperature can take power grids up to and over their abilities to perform. California is currently seeing a surge in the price of power — their highest in four months — while due to demand, Texans are looking at prices of more than $2,000 per megawatt hour in some places.

At ERCOT, the current problem has been attributed to an inability to generate enough power, due to repairs that are currently underway. Currently the Lone Star State is the only one of 50 to have its own independent grid. That allows the state to create regulations independent of the other 49 — but prevents Texas from drawing from sources other states share.

According to Reuters, ERCOT Vice President of Grid Planning Woody Rickerson put the situation in perspective in just a few words: "This is unusual for this early in the summer season."

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