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The Texas electric grid operator is asking residents to reduce how much power they use between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. Wednesday. Officials expect that conditions on the grid will be tight again, as they have been repeatedly this summer amid scorching temperatures.
People can reduce power use by dialing their thermostats up a couple of degrees and refraining from using large appliances, such as dishwashers and laundry machines.
Demand for power on the state’s grid has been high because of persistent heat, which is linked to climate change. On Wednesday, wind power was also forecast to be low, according to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, or ERCOT, which serves a majority of the state.
This is the tenth request from ERCOT for residents to scale back power use this summer. The early evening time frame is typically most difficult because solar power generation declines as the sun sets.
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