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If you’ve lived in Texas for more than one summer, you’ve seen the headlines: “ERCOT issues Conservation Appeal” or “ERCOT enters Energy Emergency.” Here are ERCOT grid alerts explained in plain English, plus what they mean for your power and your electric bill.
Key takeaways
- ERCOT manages the grid that serves about 90% of Texas’s electric load.
- Most alerts are early warnings or voluntary requests to conserve, not outages.
- Rotating outages only happen at the most severe emergency level.
- A fixed-rate plan keeps grid stress from showing up in your price per kWh.
What is ERCOT?
ERCOT, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, operates the power grid for most of the state and manages the wholesale market where electricity is bought and sold. Texas’s main grid has limited connections to the rest of the country, so ERCOT has to keep supply and demand balanced largely on its own.
ERCOT grid alerts, from mild to serious
ERCOT shares alerts through its Texas Advisory and Notification System (TXANS). In order of severity:
| Alert | What it means | What you should do |
|---|---|---|
| Weather Watch | Extreme weather and high demand are expected in the coming days | Stay informed. No action needed yet |
| Conservation Appeal | Supply is expected to be tight, and ERCOT is asking for voluntary conservation | Cut back during the requested hours, especially on AC, laundry and EV charging |
| Energy Emergency Alert (EEA) | Reserves are low. Higher levels let ERCOT use emergency tools | Conserve and prepare for possible outages |
| EEA Level 3 with load shed | ERCOT orders utilities to start rotating outages to protect the grid | Expect your utility to rotate outages in your area |
For outage updates in your neighborhood, follow your utility, such as CenterPoint or Oncor. They manage outages locally.
How grid stress can hit your bill
When demand spikes and supply is tight, wholesale electricity prices can jump dramatically. Whether that reaches you depends on your plan:
- Fixed-rate plans: the provider’s energy price stays the same, no matter what the grid does.
- Variable-rate plans: your provider can raise the price in later months.
- Indexed or wholesale-linked plans: your price can follow the market closely, sometimes within days.
During Winter Storm Uri in February 2021, some customers on wholesale-indexed plans received bills in the thousands of dollars. That’s the scenario a fixed-rate plan is designed to prevent.
How to protect yourself
Choose a fixed-rate plan
It’s the single most effective protection. ERCOT can issue every alert in the book and your price per kWh won’t move. Read the EFL to confirm your plan is fixed.
Consider demand response
Some plans and smart thermostat programs pay you or credit your bill for cutting usage during peak events. It can be a nice bonus if you’re flexible.
Keep an outage kit ready
Flashlights, charged battery packs, water and a few days of non-perishable food. Texas weather can turn quickly in both summer and winter.
Helpful official resources: ERCOT
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Frequently asked questions
Does a Conservation Appeal mean blackouts are coming?
No. A Conservation Appeal is a voluntary request to reduce usage so the grid stays reliable. Rotating outages only happen at the most severe emergency level.
Will ERCOT alerts raise my electricity rate?
Not on a fixed-rate plan. Variable and indexed plans can reflect higher market prices.
How do I get ERCOT alerts?
You can sign up for TXANS notifications on ERCOT’s website or follow ERCOT on social media and its mobile app.
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