We know frustrations are running high for all our members, and we share in that frustration. It is our job to keep power flowing to our members; it is what you expect, and it is what we want to deliver. This historic event and the challenges within ERCOT have made that impossible at this time, so please continue to be as patient and understanding with our staff as you can.

We do expect to see the same conditions as we did Monday. The ERCOT model continues to show they will not have enough electricity to meet the state’s needs. This will mean continued forced outages for Medina EC members and other Texans across ERCOT’s region today.  

Currently, we are expecting ERCOT forced outages to be 4-6 hours in our area. They are rotating through the system but we recognize that some areas are being impacted more than others. There are also certain areas where we are not allowed to turn off power because of hospitals, natural gas plants, and similar emergency resources.

WHAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT

As expected, temperatures dropped and ERCOT called for additional load shed forcing utilities to put even more of our members in forced outages. Combined with weather related outages, more than a third of our members are without power. Due to the overwhelming numbers, many members were unable to report outages overnight. We recognize the frustration that has caused for members and it has made restoring weather-related outages much more difficult.

WHAT TO EXPECT TODAY

Crews will be assessing the system and reporting to areas that are still without power due to weather conditions. Areas that have been without power for more than 24 hours are our priority.

Engineers will continue to monitor grid conditions, and our staff will continue managing outages. We will still be unable to reply to Facebook messages or comments while we address the outage issues. We understand the need to share frustration on Facebook, but we are not able to track those or follow up with members as we work to manage the issues our entire system is facing.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

• Report your outages on SmartHub  (on our website or through the app) if you can. This is your fastest option and will help our team better manage outages. We recognize the frustration from this going down last night, but it is working at this time.
• To speak to a customer service agent, call 1-866-632-3532 or use the chat function on our website, which is available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• To see the latest outage numbers and track progress, visit our outage map.
• If you are unable to report your outage and choose to send a message through Facebook, please include your account name, account number and address. Be aware that staff may not see that for several hours and it will always be more efficient to report it through our other avenues.

Many members have questioned why this is happening now, and why it doesn’t occur in the summer. The main issue for ERCOT during this cold weather has been generation outages, meaning they have not been able to produce the electricity that would normally be available. Many of these issues have stemmed from freezing.