This podcast is with BTU general manager Gary Miller, visiting with WTAW's Bill Oliver.
Texas electric utilities, including BTU (Bryan Texas Utilities) and College Station Utilities (CSU), were ordered by the statewide electric grid operator ERCOT (Electric Reliability Council of Texas) early Monday morning to conduct rolling power outages.
One of the two questions about the rolling blackouts that we are getting from WTAW listeners is will the rolling blackouts end. (more at http://www.ercot.com/news/releases/show/225244) ERCOT projects they will continue through today (TU). ERCOT also reported as of four p.m. that restoration efforts are underway to return power to serve 500 thousand households.
The other question is why has my neighborhood had multiple outages and others have had no outages. BTU general manager Gary Miller and the director of College Station's electric utility, Timothy Crabb, say part of the reason is meeting an ERCOT requirement of identifying which feeder lines will not be turned off during rolling blackouts.
Miller and Crabb also say there are some critical load feeders that are not turned off.
Miller says most of BTU's repair activity and Crabb says all of CSU's calls have been associated with the rolling blackouts.
Miller says 45 BTU linemen have been joined by six crews from private contractors. Most of BTU's calls have also been associated with the rolling blackout.
BTU energy accounts manager Ken Dupre again asks customers to wait 20 minutes after power is restored before turning on furnaces and other appliances.
CSU customers, most who do not have smartmeters, are instructed to report power outages lasting longer than 15 minutes to call 855-528-4278 so a crew can investigate. CSU was ordered by ERCOT to drop about a third of its usual electric load.
BTU customers do not have to report outages because they have smartmeters. BTU advises repair crews are sent when customers have been without power for more than one hour. Those crews are dispatched as they are available, and response times are being affected by hazardous road conditions.