Rolling Outages

When ERCOT orders transmission companies to start rotating outages the amount is based on the percentage of load that the company serves. Rotating outages primarily affect residential neighborhoods and small businesses and normally they are limited to 10 to 45 minutes in length.

ERCOT has only ordered rotating outages three times in its history.  Do you remember why?

• December 22, 1989 – Cold wave
• April 17, 2006 – Unseasonably high temperatures.  DFW reached 101°F
• February 2, 2011 – Extreme cold and the loss of several generating facilities
• February, 2020 – Extreme cold and the loss of several generating facilities