ERCOT says upcoming solar eclipse will drastically reduce solar power in Texas

In Texas, Irish Star reported that the upcoming solar eclipse is predicted to cause a sizeable drop in the Texas state’s grid’s ability to produce solar power. According to the report, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) has confirmed that the eclipse will cast a shadow over southwest to northeast Texas that will impact solar power production between 12:10 pm and 3:10 pm on April 8. On March 7, ERCOT published a forecast that predicted that output would decrease from 99.2% at noon to 7.6% at 1:45 pm. However, ERCOT says they don’t expect grid reliability issues during the eclipse. ERCOT said it is “working on forecasting models to reflect solar generation on the grid during the eclipse.” “ERCOT will use all available tools to maintain grid reliability and will continue to monitor conditions and keep the public informed through our communications channels.”

More on the story.