Keep Up with the Texas Power Grid During the Weekend Cold Snap

(Tyler, Texas) - Winter takes a bit to get its hold on East Texas. For the first month or so, it will feel like spring with unseasonably warm temperatures. It's not until mid-January to early February that the cold weather will reach us.

Well, that is exactly what is happening right now. Our first real winter event arrives this weekend (January 23-25, 2025). The effect of the cold snap will differ across Texas but it will be cold throughout the entire state.

How the Texas Power Grid Will Hold Up

A cold front is bringing some true winter weather to Texas, and East Texas, this weekend (KLTV). There is the possibility of a wintry mix with temperatures in the lower 20s. It may be best to just stay inside, light the fireplace and keep warm.

We'll also be running our heaters a little more, too. Because of that, our power grid could become a little overwhelmed. Luckily, since Snowmageddon of 2021, our power grid has held up.

Keep Track of the Texas Power Grid

Since the winter of 2021, the Texas power grid has been under constant scrutiny anytime there is a moment of extreme weather. During days of oppressive heat, many wonder if the grid could keep up to keep our homes cool. The same scrutiny is applied when we finally do get a cold snap.

It is possible to see how the Texas power grid is holding up in real time any time of the year. ERCOT, or Electric Reliability Council of Texas, has a dashboard available to look at online that gives real time stats of how the grid is performing. One of the most important stats is the energy supply versus the demand. I took this screenshot of the supply and demand for today, January 20, at 1:55 p.m.

ercot.com

The solid purple line is the energy supply while the turquoise line is the demand. So yes, at 1:55 p.m. today, the grid was handling everything very well.

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The dashboard has a wealth of other stats to go along with the power being generated to Texas. You can see it all at ercot.com/gridmktinfo/dashboards. In the meantime, hunker down and be glad we only have to deal with this for a weekend. Then we can get back to walking around in shorts and flip flops.

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Gallery Credit: Michael Gibson / Townsquare Media