Hurricane Beryl made a powerful impact as it roared into the Texas Gulf Coast early on July 8, cutting power to nearly 2.8 million customers. The storm affected an extensive area from San Antonio Bay to the Louisiana state line, significantly reducing power demand for the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) and causing a drop in real-time wholesale electricity prices.
As of noon on July 8, ERCOT predicted peak solar output would drop below 12.5 GW, a sharp decrease from the 15.3 GW recorded on July 1 and the nearly 17.5 GW on July 7.
Despite the storm’s proximity to the South Texas Project’s nuclear plant in Bay City, the 2.6-GW facility continued operating at full capacity. “The plant remains at 100% capacity,” confirmed Amanda Sitka, an STP Nuclear Operating Co spokeswoman. “However, a corporate office building lost power and is now running on a diesel generator.”
As of 2:30 p.m. CT on July 8, several major East Texas utilities reported significant customer outages, according to PowerOutage.us:
- Entergy Texas: 235,060 out of 512,204 customers
- Texas New Mexico Power: 116,830 out of 275,442 customers
- Mid-South Synergy: 29,377 out of 40,781 customers
- American Electric Power: 23,962 out of nearly 1.1 million customers
- San Bernard Electric Cooperative: 15,360 out of 32,596 customers
- Oncor Electric Delivery: 10,318 out of over 4 million customers
- Sam Houston Electric Cooperative: 64,606 out of 91,536 customers
Entergy Texas noted that most outages were concentrated in Montgomery, Jefferson, Walker, and Liberty Counties, all near Houston. “The storm has caused significant damage to our transmission equipment, resulting in power loss at 17 substations,” said Entergy Texas around noon. “Our crews are ready to start official damage assessments and will determine the most efficient way to restore power once it is safe.”
Entergy Texas has mobilized more than 500 additional workers to assist in the restoration efforts.
Impacts on Power Infrastructure and Response Efforts
Hurricane Beryl’s impact on the region’s power infrastructure was profound. Entergy Texas, one of the hardest-hit utilities, reported that storm conditions had damaged its transmission equipment, causing significant outages. The company’s 27-county service area is now the focus of a large-scale restoration effort.
“Entergy Texas crews are prepared to begin the official damage assessment throughout the service area,” the company stated. “We will determine the most effective way to restore power to our communities once the storm has passed.”
The quick mobilization of additional workers highlights the urgency and scale of the restoration efforts required. This proactive approach aims to minimize downtime and promptly address the affected communities’ needs.
Outlook
Power companies and emergency services remain on high alert. The full extent of the damage will become clearer in the coming days as assessments are completed and restoration efforts progress. ERCOT’s power demand and supply monitoring will be crucial in managing the grid’s stability during this period.