UPDATE: Mandatory power outages have ended for now

Mandatory power outages that began at 7 p.m. have ended, for now, and we have returned the system to normal operations. If customers are still without power, but their neighbors have power, they can call 1-800-ENTERGY to report an outage.

The company took this action at the direction of its reliability coordinator, the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, as a last resort to prevent a more extensive, prolonged power outage that could severely affect the reliability of the power grid. All Entergy operating companies, as well as other members of MISO, participated in the outages.

While Entergy Texas has been cleared to returned to normal operations, weather conditions still pose challenges in the coming days. These record-breaking temperatures can drive increased electricity usage which can increase demand on the system and impact infrastructure. Customers can follow these easy steps to help reduce consumption and lower usage:

Setting the thermostat to 68 degrees in the winter is an easy way to reduce how much energy you use.

Conserve hot water. Wrap your electric water heater with a water heater blanket that can be found at local home improvement stores and set the thermostat to 120 degrees or medium.

Keep all doors and windows closed. Constant traffic will let out the warm air, forcing your heater to work harder to keep the room at the set temperature.

Ensure fans are turning the right way. Fans should be run at a low speed clockwise during the winter. This helps keep the cold air from blowing down on you.

Keep the air circulating. Don’t block heat registers or air returns with curtains or furniture.

Leverage the sun. During the day, open your curtains and blinds to let in the warm sunlight. Close them at night to reduce heat loss.