ERCOT extends weather watch a week as heat not expected to let up
Editor's Note: The above video shares tips for responding to heat-related illnesses.
AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Electric Reliability Council of Texas has extended its latest weather watch yet again as summer heat persists in the state.
Its watch originally went into effect Sunday and was expected to last until Monday. It then extended it that day to Friday and on Friday announced it would be in place until the following week on Aug. 18.
Weather watches don't mean the grid is in an emergency situation, but is an early alert for Texans to monitor grid conditions. It is a type of alert that is new this year and part of the group's efforts to keep Texans informed about the power grid. ERCOT said the grid is expected to be normal during these types of alerts.
In its alert Friday, ERCOT said it extended the watch "due to ongoing forecasted higher temperatures, higher electrical demand and the potential for lower reserves."
The KXAN First Warning Weather team is forecasting highs well above 100 degrees for the next week. Austin is currently experiencing its longest streak of triple-digit heat, having set a new record of 34 days in a row Thursday.
"ERCOT continues to monitor conditions closely and will deploy all available tools to manage the grid, continuing a reliability-first approach to operations. There is not a current expectation of an energy emergency, and this is not a call for conservation," it said.