TYLER (KYTX) - The Electric Reliability Council of Texas tells the state senate the state could experience rolling black outs if energy demands keep rising.
While this summer isn't as hot as last, demand due to heat and population growth keep driving up daily use.
Just like you want to save money on your bill, ERCOT wants you to save on your consumption.
The problem is simple economics -- high demands with low supply could mean lights out for Texans.
Jessica Loghry keeps a close eye on her thermostat.
"I put it on 74 when I go to bed, just cause it's been hot all day. And when I get up, 78," says Jessica Loghry.
She's willing to keep fans turning, and lights off to save money.
"It does make a difference, but my electricity bill in half and I have to do everything possible to keep it that low. I can't afford another $125 electricity bill," says Loghry.
ERCOT which is responsible for managing the states electric grid says the state's population is quickly outgrowing the power supply.
Tuesday, Texans used within 6 thousand mega watts of the projected 56 for the day, and it wasn't even triple digits.
"If everybody turned on all their appliances and a day was extremely hot, you could manually make a black out possible. Very hard to predict that," says Joe Stowe, owner of Stonebridge Heat & Air.
Stowe says there are ways to help keep your demand on the lines low.
Change air filters, check all your ducts and watch the temperature inside.
"Every degree over 78 raises the electric bill about 8%," says Stowe.
If you're looking to conserve energy during the heat of the day, try closing your blinds. And something to watch for inside: any openings, no matter how small, like electrical sockets, could pull in hot air.
Because everything has a limit, even power.
"If I can do it with 2 kids, I think pretty much anybody could," says Loghry.
ERCOT says it's keeping a 13 percent reserve to keep your home online this summer.
And if you'd like to receive alerts from ERCOT, they even have an app you can download to keep up with current demands.
ERCOT says they may first take industrial users offline, but blackouts would only happen if the state had an extraordinary drop in supply, or record temperatures.
The Texas Public Utility Commission is holding a workshop to discuss reserve capacity and methods of saving power later this month.
