Texas grid urges electricity conservation amid record-breaking heat

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas has issued a conservation appeal across the state on Monday amid record-breaking heat.

The call for Texans to voluntarily conserve their electric use comes as scorching temperatures overtake the state and electricity demands have surged. As of Monday, the heat index for Austin is predicted to be 111 degrees, with predictions for 109 degrees in Houston and 105 degrees in Dallas.

ERCOT appealed for conservation from 2 to 8 p.m. Monday, the same time period a "watch for a projected reserve capacity shortage" has been issued, according to a press release.

At this time, no system wide outages are expected, and ERCOT has not reported any rolling blackouts, ERCOT told ABC News.

"We are not in an emergency situation. Our control room has issued a watch and we are asking for voluntary energy reduction where possible," ERCOT said.

ERCOT does have a plan for rolling blackouts, the organization told ABC News, but it does not anticipate needing it on Monday.

The Monday appeal comes due to record high electric demand and low wind, ERCOT said in the statement, as wind generation is shown to be at less than 10% of its capacity.

ERCOT suggests residents and business owners turn up their thermostats one to two degrees and postpone running major appliances or pool pumps to conserve during peak hours.

Other tips to conserve energy include moving a fan into the bathroom while showering to remove heat and humidity through spot ventilation and moving lamps or televisions away from air conditioners or thermostats.

ERCOT said it continues to use all of its resources to maintain power during the heat, including calling upon large electric customers who have volunteered to lower their energy use. The organization added forecasts predict from Tuesday onwards an improvement in generation versus demand.

Power demand in Texas hit a record in June, and ERCOT told ABC News at the time its supply was steady and would not need a call for conservation. Now, in July, ERCOT has issued the plea as the power demand is expected to break June's record by 5,000 megawatts.

Austin falls under an excessive heat warning according to the National Weather Service, with additional heat advisories spread across the state.

Amid such temperatures, it is important to monitor for signs of heat stroke or heat exhaustion. Headaches, dizziness, nausea, confusion and passing out are all common symptoms of these heat-induced illnesses.

For more information on staying safe in the heat, click here. For tips on how to conserve energy, click here.