Heat waves have posed deadly threats across the U.S. as people battle adverse health effects from high temperatures.
In Texas, where temperatures have exceeded triple digits for 10 consecutive days, residents are using immense amounts of energy to run air conditioners. While companies have reassured residents the power grid is capable of handling the demand, the weather has sparked conversations about whether the state needs to diversify its energy resources.
Texas has been especially susceptible to the high heat this summer, with some parts of the state expected to see triple-digit temperatures for at least the next 10 days, according to forecasters. A power grid that has been unreliable in past extreme weather events has residents questioning if it can handle the increased demand. So far, it has.
Texas has battled high heat for weeks, with several cities breaking records. Del Rio broke its all-time high of 113 degrees on June 21, when the temperature reached 115. San Angelo broke a record on June 20 by 3 degrees when the temperature hit 114. San Angelo then tied the new record the next day, according to a report by The Weather Channel.
AccuWeather meteorologist Nicole LoBiondo told Newsweek that Texas temperatures are "very hot for this time of year," and that they will remain hot into next week.
Texas' power grid failed in February 2021, when a severe winter storm and frigid temperatures stressed it to the point of failure and thousands lost power. But so far the grid has maintained its performance with the help of green energy.
On Monday, data from the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) showed that power from wind and solar energy sources generated nearly 40 percent of the state's electricity. Natural gas remained the largest generator of power in Texas, accounting for nearly 45 percent while coal sources generated more than 10 percent.
ERCOT provides power for 26 million customers in Texas, roughly 90 percent of the state's load. Despite the assistance from green energy sources, ERCOT issued a weather watch on Friday through Tuesday because of the high temperatures heightening electrical demand.
A weather watch is implemented when grid conditions are normal but there is a forecast that likely will cause high demand. It could be followed by a voluntary conservation notice.
"Grid conditions are expected to be normal during a Weather Watch. ERCOT continues to monitor conditions closely and will deploy all available tools to manage the grid and will continue our reliability-first approach to operations," it said.
A spokesperson from ERCOT told Newsweek that a weather watch is not a call for energy conservation.
"ERCOT will continue to operate the grid conservatively, bringing generating resources online early to mitigate sudden changes in generation or demand," the spokesperson said.
According to the announcement, ERCOT set an unofficial peak demand record of 81,406 megawatts last Thursday, but the most updated supply-demand chart shows that the grid continues to meet the increased demand.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Anna Skinner is a Newsweek senior reporter based in Indianapolis. Her focus is reporting on the climate, environment and weather ... Read more
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