ERCOT Wants to Control Your Thermostats and Appliance Schedule
When LP&L switched their power pool to ERCOT's grid last May, there were plenty of people who are much smarter than I am saying it was a decision that could lead to multiple power outages in extreme weather. Now, I haven't noticed much trouble since the now infamous winter storm that absolutely buckled ERCOT in February of 2021.
With May in 2022, leading to record temperatures ERCOT is already having trouble keeping up with the demand. Now, I'm not a civil engineer, nor do have any certification as an electrician, but I can read and I read this release today, May 13th, from ERCOT:
"With unseasonably hot weather driving record demand across Texas, ERCOT continues to work closely with the power industry to make sure Texans have the power they need. This afternoon, six power generation facilities tripped offline resulting in the loss of approximately 2,900 MW of electricity.
Again, I'm not an expert here, but six power generation facilities going offline heading into a weekend where triple-digits are expected sounds like a bad thing. I also concede that 100-degree heat in May is abnormal, but shouldn't these designs work in June and July? Do they need some beginner heat before they get to the difficult stuff?
Let's continue with the release from ERCOT.
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 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. through the weekend."
Let me channel my inner Dr. Evil, "How bout no!"
I'll abstain from doing my laundry from 3 pm to 8 pm to do my civic duty but there's a better chance of me walking on the moon this weekend than there is for me to put my thermostat to 78 degrees.
I might as well just turn it off at that point.
My thermostat has been at 72 degrees since I moved into my apartment. It doesn't matter if it's 100-degrees or 7 degrees. My thermostat doesn't move. I just adjust the amount of fabric surrounding my body, and let me tell you, very little fabric will be involved in my weekend.
The thermostat will be at 72 though.