Post: ERCOT returns to normal operations, but high temperatures continue

ERCOT returns to normal operations, but high temperatures continue

ERCOT entered level 1 and level 2 Emergency Operations on September, 6 to maintain stability of the grid. The EEA 2 was issued due to a combination of dropping operating reserves and frequency.

Frequency of the entire ERCOT grid must be maintained between 60.1hz and 59.9hz at all times. ERCOT triggered its second of three levels of emergency operations at 7:25p.m. By entering EEA 2, ERCOT could utilize additional reserve resources to protect the reliability of the grid. It lifted emergency conditions 77 minutes later and ERCOT reported a return to normal conditions. An ERCOT Weather Watch remains in place until September, 8, and energy conservation remains strongly recommended.

Source: ERCOT

Due to continued high temperatures, high demand, low wind, and declining solar power generation on September, 7, ERCOT said that operating reserves were expected to be low into the afternoon and evening hours. As a result, ERCOT asked Texans to conserve electricity use.  ERCOT is expecting similar conditions on September 8 and will keep the public informed through its communications channels.

This incident marked the eighth instance this summer when ERCOT has requested voluntary conservation measures as ERCOT recorded a September peak demand spike to 82,705MW driven by extreme heat across the state. Last September, the highest demand recorded was 72,370MW. This summer ERCOT has set 10 new all-time peak demand records and compares to the all-time peak demand record of 85,435MW on August 10.

Factors leading to tight grid conditions include:

• Continued statewide high temperatures
• High demand due to the heat
• Solar generation starts to decline earlier in the evening hours before completely going offline at sunset
• Wind generation is forecasted to be low this evening during peak demand time

There are three Energy Emergency Alert Levels in total. An EEA 2 is issued when ERCOT’s operating reserves have dropped below 1,750MWs and are not expected to recover within 30 minutes. At Level 3, ERCOT may resort to controlled rotating outages as a measure of last resort to safeguard the grid.

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