ERCOT Preparedness Tips for NARUC Attendees

Power for Tomorrow wishes all participants in this month’s NARUC Summer Policy Summit an enjoyable visit to Austin.  But with ERCOT setting a new demand record of 80,828 MW in June amid 19,000 MW of unplanned firm and renewable outages, and with Texas policy makers yet to address the fundamental  flaws in deregulation that have led to the state’s recent electricity woes, we also want to make sure all attendees have the tools they need to stay safe.

When packing for ERCOT, don’t forget the following items:

·       A battery-operated fan with a water sprayer, to keep cool while the A/C is off.

·       Good walking shoes, in case you are ordered to evacuate and didn’t rent a car.

·       Cash, to buy snacks and room-temperature water.

·       A radio, preferably one with a hand crank, to receive news and information from emergency management.

·       Food. Military-style MREs are great in a pinch.

·       Fresh water. Fill the bathtub in your hotel room to barter with for other supplies.

·       A battery backup for your cell phone. You won’t have service, but you can take selfies during the evacuation and post them later on Instagram using the hashtag #ERCOT_NARUC2023.

In the event of an ERCOT-induced contingency event, the following information may be helpful.

·       Read through Austin’s Get Prepared website, which has tips on how to build your own survival kit.

·       Check out Austin’s Emergency Operations Plan, so you know what to expect.

·       Monitor ERCOT’s dashboard for up-to-the-minute data. Remember, the supply and demand lines should not cross, and the grid frequency should stay at 60 Hz.

·       Keep your car gassed up to avoid long lines after the blackout begins.

·       During a blackout, city officials will use libraries as dissemination points for public information. Luckily, the Austin Central Library is only a 12-minute walk west from the JW Marriot.

·       If you need to evacuate, the nearest points of safety outside of ERCOT are:

o   Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, 3 hours and 45 minutes south on I-35.

o   Thackerville, Oklahoma, 4 hours north on I-35.

o   Beaumont, Texas, 3 hours and 45 minutes east on TX-71 and I-10.

o   El Paso, Texas, 8 hours and 45 minutes west on I-10.

Remember to print this guide and your maps before the internet and cell networks go down. Be safe and enjoy NARUC 2023 in beautiful ERCOT!