The Electric Reliability Council of Texas has enhanced its Texas Advisory and Notification System, known as TXANS, giving the public a single source for grid notifications and, for the first time, the option to receive those alerts by text message, according to a Nov. 10 news release.
TXANS is the tool ERCOT uses to inform the public about grid conditions, including forecasted weather events, periods of higher electricity demand and any emergency action the grid operator must take to maintain systemwide reliability, the release said. ERCOT serves more than 27 million Texas customers, about 90 percent of the state’s electric load, according to the organization.
“We have enhanced TXANS as a more efficient, streamlined way to communicate with the public,” said ERCOT President and CEO Pablo Vegas. “Communicating effectively with Texans remains a priority. These improvements ensure the public is receiving current and accurate information on grid conditions.”
According to ERCOT, the notifications escalate in stages. A Weather Watch may be issued in advance when significant weather, high demand and the potential for lower reserves are forecast, though grid conditions remain normal during a watch. A Voluntary Conservation Notice asks the public to conserve electricity during a specific period when higher demand is forecast with lower reserves, while a Conservation Appeal is issued when higher demand carries the potential to enter emergency operations. In both cases, ERCOT also asks government agencies, including city and county offices, to reduce electricity use at their facilities.
The three Energy Emergency Alert levels are tied to operating reserves and grid frequency, the release said. Level 1 occurs when reserves drop below 2,500 megawatts and are not expected to recover within 30 minutes; Level 2 occurs when reserves fall below 2,000 megawatts under the same conditions, or when frequency drops below 59.91 hertz for 15 minutes; and Level 3 occurs when reserves fall below 1,500 megawatts or frequency drops below 59.8 hertz for any period of time. ERCOT said systemwide controlled outages take place only at Level 3, when it directs utilities across its region to reduce demand at the local level. At every stage, ERCOT advised that people with critical medical needs check with their local electric utility.
Subscribers can now opt in to text alerts in addition to email by visiting ercot.com/txans, and current subscribers can update their contact information and preferences — email, text or both — by logging in to the TXANS portal with a registered email address, according to ERCOT. The portal is powered by Regroup, a cloud-based notification platform, and notifications will be sent in English and Spanish.
ERCOT said Texans can also track grid conditions through its Weekly Grid Update, ERCOT.com dashboards and social media channels.