As a strong arctic blast sweeps through Texas, many may be recalling the deadly blackouts that coincided with a deep freeze in February 2021. But the statewide grid operator has responded to these fears with confidence in its preparations.
“Based on expected weather conditions, ERCOT anticipates there will be sufficient generation to meet demand,” a spokesperson for the Electric Reliability Council of Texas said. “ERCOT will continue to deploy all available resources to manage the grid reliably and coordinate closely with the Public Utility Commission, generation providers, and transmission utilities.”
Read more: Arctic air is headed to Texas. Are the electric grid and local utilities ready to handle it?
ERCOT has issued a Weather Watch from Friday, Jan. 24 through Monday, Jan. 27 “due to forecasted below-freezing temperatures with the possibility of frozen precipitation, higher electrical demand, and the potential for lower reserves,” per a Jan. 21 news release. The operator said it expected normal grid conditions during the watch.
For regular updates, ERCOT suggests subscribing to TXANS notifications and following its official social media channels.
Texas power outage mapSee Texas energy provider outage maps, how to report an outageAustin Energy
Austin Energy serves the city of Austin.
Oncor
Oncor serves eastern Williamson County, northeastern Travis County, northwest Bastrop County, Dallas County and Tarrant County.
Pedernales Electric Cooperative
Pedernales Electric Cooperative serves the Hill Country west of Austin and parts of western Williamson, Travis and Hays counties.
CenterPoint Energy
CenterPoint Energy serves the Houston metro area.
To report an outage: Call 800-227-1376.
El Paso Electric
El Paso Electric serves the city of El Paso.
To report an outage: Call (915) 877-3400.
Lubbock Power & Light
Lubbock Power & Light (LP&L) is the main energy provider for Lubbock residents.
Atmos Energy
Potter County’s main energy provider is Atmos Energy.
To report an outage, call 888-286-6700.