In preparation for the anticipated deep freeze next week, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) has issued a "Weather Watch" alert for Monday, January 15, through Wednesday, January 17. ERCOT warned that extreme cold weather across the state may lead to higher electrical demand and potentially lower reserves.

ERCOT, in a social media post, advised that grid conditions are expected to remain normal during the cold weather period. However, the KXAN First Warning Weather team has forecasted the arrival of the coldest air of the season in Central Texas just after the weekend.

The frigid temperatures are expected to settle in by Monday morning and persist until Tuesday or Wednesday. Central Texas is likely to experience temperatures in the 20s and teens, with daytime highs not surpassing the 30s. Wind chills are also expected to drop into the teens and 20s. Though wintry precipitation chances remain low as of Wednesday, there is still a possibility.

To stay informed about grid conditions, individuals have the option to sign up for notifications via the Texas Advisory and Notification System (TXANS) on the ERCOT website. The newly launched TXANS system aims to provide weather watch notifications three to five days in advance, alerting about potential grid impacts and high demand situations caused by extreme weather conditions.

ERCOT has outlined several Energy Emergency Alert levels (EEAs) to address various grid conditions. These include Conservation Alert, EEA 1, EEA 2, and EEA 3. When operating reserves drop below 2,300 MW and are not expected to recover within 30 minutes, a Conservation Alert is initiated. This is a voluntary request to reduce electricity use, urging the public and government agencies to implement energy reduction programs.

When reserves fall below 1,750 MW and are not projected to recover within half an hour, an Energy Emergency Level 1 is declared, emphasizing critical conservation. In the event that reserves dip below 1,430 MW and are not expected to recover within 30 minutes, Emergency Level 2 is triggered. At this point, ERCOT can enforce demand reduction by interrupting power from large industrial customers who have agreed to have their electricity turned off during emergencies.

If operating reserves plummet below 1,000 MW and are not anticipated to recover within half an hour, and if the grid's frequency level cannot be maintained at 60 Hz, ERCOT will implement "controlled outages," commonly known as rolling blackouts. Emergency Level 3 is enacted when reserves drop below 1,430 MW.

As Texas prepares for the upcoming deep freeze, ERCOT's Weather Watch is a crucial step in ensuring the reliability of the electrical grid and minimizing potential disruptions in electricity supply to the state.