Public Utility Commission of Texas calls for 'voluntary power conservation'

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) is echoing calls from the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) for "voluntary power conservation" Sunday. PUCT officials requested Texans to "voluntarily reduce electricity use" due to ongoing extreme temperatures and high power demand.

The latest voluntary conservation notice is effective from 7-10 p.m. Sunday.

At this time, ERCOT isn't experiencing emergency conditions, officials said in the release. The PUCT's voluntary conservation notice is part of ERCOT's Texas Advisory and Notification System, the release added.

ERCOT is currently requesting all government agencies — including city and county offices — to "implement all programs to reduce energy use at their facilities."

"Voluntary conservation is a widely used industry tool that can help lower demand during a specific period of time, typically late afternoon and evening," the release read in part.

The PUCT's website outlines tips for electricity use reductions. Per the PUCT, ERCOT set an all-time, unofficial peak demand record on Aug. 10, with an all-time weekend peak demand record set this weekend on Saturday.