Good morning,
As Austin moves into cooler fall weather, state officials are working on plans to keep the Texas power grid reliable. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) – the group that manages most of Texas’s electricity – released its latest monthly report on whether we’ll have enough power. Meanwhile, the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) continues working on new rules to prevent blackouts.
TL:DR
Texas power grid looks stable for normal fall weather
Grid stress most likely during hot evenings with low wind generation
PUCT is creating new backup power rules through stakeholder process
These changes will likely appear as pass-through charges on your electric bill
Main Story: Fall Power Outlook and New State Rules
Will We Have Enough Electricity This Fall?
ERCOT’s latest Monthly Outlook for Resource Adequacy (MORA) shows the highest Energy Emergency Alert (EEA) risk at 0.30% at Hour Ending 9 p.m. CDT on the month’s peak-load day. Under typical conditions, ERCOT expects sufficient reserves; the deterministic load at that hour is 65,566 MW, with the expected daily peak at 69,727 MW at HE 5 p.m. Evening hours remain the most vulnerable as solar generation drops off while electricity demand stays high from air conditioning and other uses.
What This Means for You:
When the grid gets tight: Try to use less electricity between 6–10 p.m., especially on hot days with little wind generation. This is when power plants are most stretched.
Save money on your bill: Austin Energy customers can join the Power Partner smart thermostat program ($50 enrollment + $25/year) or switch to a Time-of-Use plan to shift usage and lower costs.
Stay informed: Sign up for grid alerts at ercot.com to know when the grid is stressed.
Have your say on grid reliability: PUCT accepts public comments at all open meetings. To comment, email [email protected] or speak during the public comment period (typically the first agenda item). Comments can be general or tied to a specific case (include docket number if applicable).
New Backup Power Rules Coming
The Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) is developing a new reliability program called Dispatchable Reliability Reserve Service (DRRS). “Dispatchable” means power plants that can turn on and ramp up electricity production quickly when grid operators call on them—unlike solar and wind, which depend on weather conditions. ERCOT’s technical proposal (NPRR1235) is working through the stakeholder review process, with workshops ongoing through fall 2025.
DRRS would pay certain power plants to stay ready as backup resources during tight grid conditions, similar to having a fire department ready to respond to emergencies.
What This Means for You:
Your electric bill: Austin Energy generally passes wholesale market costs through to customers as separate line items like the Power Supply Adjustment (PSA), rather than changing base electricity rates.
How much it costs: If adopted, backup-power charges would appear as PSA adjustments rather than new flat fees on your monthly bill.
Have your say: PUCT open meetings are public and live-streamed. Email [email protected] to submit written comments or register to speak during public comment periods.
Other Local News
🏙️ City Council Follow-Up
Homestead Preservation Districts (HPDs): On Sept 11, Council directed staff to draft ordinances to create new HPDs and study related tax-increment reinvestment zones (TIRZ). These are financing tools that dedicate future property tax revenue growth from an area to fund affordable housing and anti-displacement programs in that same area—they don’t provide direct tax breaks to property owners.
Short-Term Rental Changes: Council approved new rules for Airbnb-type rentals; staff are now drafting detailed regulations. Check austintexas.gov/department/short-term-rentals for updates.
🏫 School Closures Being Planned
Austin ISD has begun outreach to families at 12 campuses facing potential closure or consolidation. The district faces a budget shortfall of more than $100 million and about 25,500 empty seats across schools. Recent budget actions reduced the 2025-26 deficit to $19.7M, but closures are still expected for 2026-27.
What This Means for You:
If your school might close: Virtual community meetings were held Sept 9, 10, with the final session tonight, Sept 15 (6–8 p.m.); a Board Information Session is scheduled for Oct 9.
Board decision: Trustees will vote in Dec 2025 on closures to take effect in 2026-27.
Have your say: Contact your AISD trustee to weigh in on closure criteria and process fairness. Find your trustee at austinisd.org/board or call 512-414-1700 to be connected to the appropriate trustee’s office.
The Numbers
Where Your Power Comes From During Different Times
Typical ERCOT mix at midday (12 p.m.):
Solar panels: 25–30%
Natural gas plants: 35–40%
Wind turbines: 15–25%
Coal plants: 10–15%
Nuclear plants: 5–10%
Batteries: 1–3% (mostly charging during sunny hours)
By evening (6–9 p.m.):
Solar drops to nearly 0%
Natural gas increases to 45–55%
Wind varies by weather (10–35%)
Batteries discharge stored energy (2–4%)
Coal and nuclear percentages rise slightly
Source: ERCOT Fuel Mix Dashboard (“Previous Day” data).
This evening shift from solar to gas and stored energy explains why ERCOT identifies those hours as higher risk for grid stress.
Texas Grid Capacity (Sept 2025)
Expected available thermal (on-demand) capacity: 69,755 MW
Share of total capacity that’s on-demand: 57%
Share of on-demand capacity available at 9 p.m.: 85%
Source: ERCOT September 2025 MORA.
Important Dates
Register to Vote: Mon, Oct 6, 2025 – Last day to register for the Nov 4 city elections. Visit votetexas.gov.
PUCT Open Meetings: Sept 18 and Oct 2, live-stream at puc.texas.gov. Public comment accepted via email ([email protected]) or in-person registration.
AISD Board Info Session (closures): Oct 9 @ 6 p.m. (districtwide closure plan discussion).
City Elections: Nov 4, 2025.
