Texas faces extreme temperatures, each of the major cities, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, reached 43°C last week. For the fifth day in ten days, the Texas electricity network is asking users to reduce their consumption.
2 mins
With our correspondent in Houston, Thomas Harms
Temperatures have exceeded 38 degrees Celsius (°C) for two months and the electricity grid is close to breaking. The Texas Electric Reliability Council (Ercot), which operates the grid independent of the rest of the United States, is considering rolling blackouts.
There is little wind, and the wind turbines, essential elements that support the production of electricity from fossil fuels, are not running at full speed.
With more than 13°C above the seasonal average, last week in Houston the temperature reached the record of 47°C felt in the shade (Thursday, measured temperature of 43°C).
And the demand for electricity, especially for air conditioning, is approaching the maximum of production in Texas.
Doug Lewin, is the author of the Texas Energy and Power newsletter. ” If you believe that asking consumers to reduce their consumption will allow us to solve our problems, that is completely ridiculous. It does not bode well for the winter, the network dropped in the summer of 2011 and it was on the verge of happening again in the winter of 2021. These problems are not resolved. If you’re told they are, it’s wrong “, he asserts.
Extreme drought
According to him, Texans should be encouraged to cool their homes when solar energy is present, in the afternoon, to avoid consumption peaks between 6 and 9 p.m.
This heat wave goes hand in hand with the drought. Not a single drop of rain in Houston for two months. The municipality has taken water conservation measures.
“ We have to manage this crisis, and to deal with it we have to reduce water use as much as possible. “, simply confesses Sylvester Turner, the mayor of Houston
Ban on making fires or barbecues in 4/5ths of Texas and, starting this Sunday, ban on watering five days a week in Houston, ban extended to six days a week in Austin.
Those who want to keep a green lawn despite the extreme drought risk a fine that can go up to 2000 dollars.