TXANS will deliver real-time information on grid operations as well as public alerts on forecasted weather events that may increase energy demand.
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The Electric Reliability Council of Texas has launched a new online notification service to provide up-to-date grid information for the public.
The service, which ERCOT has dubbed the “Texas Advisory and Notification System” or TXANS, will deliver real-time information on grid operations as well as public alerts on forecasted weather events that may increase energy demand. ERCOT will deliver the TXANS alerts several days ahead of challenging weather events.
ERCOT CEO Pablo Vegas has said that more than 3,000 people already have signed up for TXANS, and that the service issued its first “weather watch” in June. “TXANS will deliver clear and reliable notifications ahead of significant weather conditions where high demand on the grid is possible,” said Vegas, in prepared remarks.
Vegas insisted, however, that TXANS’ notifications will not replace the organization’s Energy Emergency Alert notices. ERCOT distributes EEA notices through its Emergency Alerts email list.
ERCOT has brought the new TXANS service online just as temperatures – and power usage – are rising throughout the state. However, in a recent report, ERCOT has predicted that “there will be sufficient installed generating capacity available to serve the system-wide forecasted peak load for the upcoming summer season.”
“We do believe that we have enough resources to operate the grid reliably this summer,” Vegas said. “We would be using the weather watch more frequently than we would ever use a conservation notice. We would only go to a conservation notice if we get to a point where we’ve utilized most of our ancillary services.”