A handful of residents in the southern part of Angelina county lost power yesterday due to a minor failure with Oncor equipment. The problem left some wondering if rolling brown outs had started. Brownouts are the short periods of service interruption used as a way to conserve the electrical grid.
As the temperatures rise, so does electricity usage.
Summer being, a peak time of year, could possibly put a strain on the Texas electrical grid.
“It depends on different factors such as weather and load,” said Oncor area manager Grady Cashion. “[It’s] a possibility, but right now we don’t see any, but we always maintain the opportunity in case it does happen.”
If the lights do go off, Cashion said there is no need for alarm.
“Just don’t panic,” Cashion said. “Don’t go and open the refrigerator or anything to see if the food is still frozen and we will be okay.”
Cashion said one problem with notifying the public about brown outs is that they receive little to no warning from ERCOT.
Cashion also urges conservation, such as un-plugging unused electronics in the day and turning up the air conditioner rather than turning it off.
By: Caleb Beames |
If you want to keep that electric bill down in the hot summer months, experts say that is possible. James Blackwood with air conditioning service provider Pax-Sun said all residents need to do is a few simple steps including some outdoor maintenance.
“It doesn’t hurt to spray off your condenser with a water hose periodically to keep it free of dirt and debris to keep it working correctly,” Blackwood said. “Most importantly is keeping your filters clean and changed in one to two month increments.”
But some things can’t be caught by the human eye so, further assistance may be needed.
“You need to have an annual checkup during the spring or early summer session to make sure it is functioning properly,” Blackwood said.
Blackwood said the assistance can save money for the bill and future maintenance.
