Energy Emergency Alert 1

Energy Emergency Alert (EEA) 1 is the first level of emergency operations and is issued to maintain reliability of the grid. If you are experiencing an outage during an EEA 1, it is local in nature. Please check with your local electric provider for more information.

Please safely reduce electric use during an EEA 1. Energy-saving tips are available on ERCOT’s TXANS page.

ERCOT has requested all government agencies (including city and county offices) to implement all programs to reduce energy use at their facilities.

What ERCOT Does During an EEA 1

Entering emergency operations does not mean that ERCOT is expecting to call for controlled power outages. It means that ERCOT has access to more power reserves that help prevent power outages.

ERCOT is bringing all available generation online, releasing any remaining reserves, and using demand response to lower electric demand. ERCOT is also working with out-of-state Independent System Operators (ISOs) and Market Participants to obtain additional power generation capacity.

ERCOT does not own, operate, or maintain any of the generation units on the grid, but ERCOT works closely with the Market Participants that own and operate these units.

ERCOT will continue to monitor conditions and deploy all available tools as part of our reliability-first approach to operations.

Critical Medical Needs Reminder

If you have critical medical needs, contact your local electric utility and have a backup plan in case controlled outages are needed later.

Electric Grid Description

When reserves on the system get low, ERCOT begins emergency operations using three levels of Energy Emergency Alerts (EEAs). These levels provide access to additional power sources only available during emergency conditions to protect the reliability of the electric system. Entering emergency operations does not mean that ERCOT is expecting to call for controlled power outages, which would affect all customer classes, including residential, commercial, and industrial. Entering emergency operations means that ERCOT has access to more power reserves that help prevent power outages.

An EEA 1 is issued when ERCOT’s operating reserves drop below 2,500 MW and are expected to remain below that level for at least 30 minutes. Controlled outages have not been requested but are possible if reserves continue to decline and are expected to fall below 1,500 MW for at least 30 minutes (link to EEA 3).

See ERCOT’s news releases or this overview of emergency conditions for more information. 

1 MW is enough to serve about 250 residential customers during ERCOT peak hours.

What You Can Do

You can use these energy-saving tips to lower your electric use during this peak demand time, if safe to do so. Simple steps, such as lowering/raising your thermostat a degree or two, turning off extra lights, and not using large appliances, such as washer, dryers and dishwashers, can help.

Stay Updated

• Subscribe to ERCOT EmergencyAlerts, which are automated notices only sent under emergency conditions.
• Sign up for TXANS notifications on the TXANS webpage to receive additional information.
• Download our app (available through the Apple Store and Google Play).
• Monitor current and extended conditions on our website at ERCOT.com.
• Follow ERCOT on Twitter (@ERCOT_ISO), Facebook (Electric Reliability Council of Texas), and LinkedIn (ERCOT).
  
  

Consumer Assistance

Public Utility Commission Consumer Hotline: 1-888-782-8477

Office of Public Utility Counsel Consumer Assistance: 1-877-839-0363