Resources for Power Outages and Heat Relief

July 11th, 2022

Here’s What We Know:

Due to record demand and record heat, ERCOT—Texas’s power grid operator–is calling on Texans to use less electricity Monday July 11 between 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Between 2pm- 8pm, ERCOT suggests:

• turning up your thermostat 1 or 2 degrees
• don’t use large appliances

ERCOT warned that high energy use may strain the grid and lead the agency to take emergency steps including the most extreme measure: rolling blackouts.

We’ve compiled a list of links and resources to help keep you informed and prepared:

• CapMetro is offering free rides to cooling centers for as long as the excessive heat warning is in effect. No one will be denied service to a cooling center.
• Follow @AustinHSEM on Twitter and @AustinEmergencyManagement on Facebook for the most up to date information.
• Many Austin Public Library locations and Austin Recreation Centers are available for use as cooling centers throughout the week during normal business hours. Please verify hours before arriving at a location.
• Cooling centers are available at all Travis County community centers between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Check the Travis County Website for a list of locations and contact information.
• Austin Resource Center for the Homeless (ARCH), located at 500 E. 7th St, is also serving as a cooling center and is open Monday through Sunday from 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.  
• Family Eldercare is providing fans to help keep central Texas residents cool. Visit the Summer Fan Drive website for more information.

Information about ERCOT and the call for energy conservation today:

• https://www.kut.org/energy-environment/2022-07-11/texas-power-grid-operator-warns-of-tight-supply-monday-asks-for-conservation
• https://www.texastribune.org/2022/07/10/texas-blackouts-power-ercot/
• https://www.ercot.com/gridinfo

HELPFUL INFORMATION

Information about how to sign up for alerts:

• Stay in the loop by signing up at warncentraltexas.org

• Sign up for accessible alerts through the Austin / Travis County Accessible Hazard Alert System

• For alerts in the Austin area, see the alerts page on Austin Energy

• Visit the Pedernales Electric Alerts to stay up-to-date on all alerts through Pedernales Electric

Bluebonnet Electric Alerts:

• https://bluebonnet.coop/text-alerts

Visit the following link for Oncor Alerts:

• https://www.oncor.com/content/oncorwww/us/en/home/outage-weather/my-oncor-alerts.html

Check out the following links for information about how to prepare for an outage:

• https://www.abc10.com/article/life/power-outage-heatwave/103-f5d414bb-6159-487e-bbb5-3780935ff12e

• https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies/heat-wave-safety.html

How to stay safe during extreme heat and outages:

• If you have a generator, make sure it has new gas.
• Consider making a plan with friends/neighbors who are on the emergency grid. (These folks are the ones whose power remained on during Uri because they were next to a fire station, etc.)
• Sports stores like Academy have cooling towels and other cooling clothing that can be activated with water.
• Don’t forget to consider temperature limits for medications, plans for protecting pets, and powering up electronics

For additional information about heat illness:

• https://www.ready.gov/heat#illness

• https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/warning.html