Rotating Outages

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) instructed utilities to begin rotating outages to compensate for the generation shortage due to numerous plant trips that occurred because of the extreme weather.

Rotating outages are controlled, temporary interruptions of electrical service initiated by each utility when supplies of reserve power are exhausted.  Without this safety valve, generators would overload and begin shutting down to avoid damage, risking a domino effect of a region-wide outage.

Rotating outages primarily affect residential neighborhoods and small businesses and do not typically include critical-need customers such as hospitals and nursing homes.

The outages are limited to 10-45 minutes before being rotated to a different neighborhood.  Some customers may experience longer outages if power surges cause equipment failure during the restoration process.  Customers can minimize power surges by turning off appliances, lights and other equipment, except for one task light to determine when power has been restored. 

If warned of a possible rotating outage or if a rotating outage occurs, consumers and businesses are urged to reduce their electricity use to the lowest level possible, including these steps:

• Limit electricity usage to only that consumption which is absolutely necessary. Turn off all unnecessary lights, appliances, and electronic equipment.

• Businesses should minimize the use of electric lighting and electricity-consuming equipment as mush as possible.

• Large consumers of electricity should consider shutting down or reducing non-essential production processes.

See more conservation tips Click Here

HILCO Main Office

115 East Main Street

P.O. Box 127

Itasca, Texas  76055

(254) 687-2331 or (800) 338-6425

Fax  (254) 687-2428

Click Here for Map

HILCO Whitney Office

4581 FM 933

P.O. Box 2480

Whitney, Texas  76692

(254) 694-5237 or (888) 850-6551

Fax  (254) 694-4062

Click Here for Map

HILCO Midlothian Office

300A Silken Crossing

Midlothian, Texas  76065

(972) 723-2900 

Fax  (972) 723-2911

Click Here for Map