The grid operator in Texas is warning residents to conserve energy for the second time this year, as fears mount over the possibility of rolling blackouts.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which manages about 90% of the state's electricity load, said that residents and businesses should turn up thermostats by at least one degree Fahrenheit. On Monday, the time is central.
There will be a shortage of energy reserves on Monday with no market solution available. ERCOT said less than 10% of wind power generation would be available on Monday.
ERCOT said that the heat wave is driving increased electric use. While solar power is reaching full generation capacity, wind generation is generating less than in the past.
Roughly 50 million people in the US were under heat warnings or advisories over the weekend. The heat index reached over 100 degrees in southeast Texas on Sunday, causing high power demand and putting pressure on the grid.
Record power usage caused by extreme weather has prompted concerns over the vulnerability of the state's grid system, after a deadly winter storm left millions of residents without power.
Climate change has caused more frequent and intense disasters, such as heat waves, which have caused more power cuts and overwhelmed some of the country's infrastructure. According to an analysis by Climate Central, extreme weather has caused more power failures in the U.S.
The ERCOT forecast shows that electricity demand in Texas will peak at 80,083megawatt on Monday.
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