The United States has three main power grids: The Eastern and Western Interconnection, which each service multiple states, and Texas, which gets an independent power grid. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, or ERCOT, handles 85 percent of the state’s power needs, producing and distributing electricity to 23 million people.

But, why does Texas need its own grid?

Slate reports that during World War II, Texas was home to many factories required for critical supplies. The electrical planners didn’t want to depend on energy coming in from other states, so they used the abundant natural resources to set up a grid specifically for Texas. Even today, this state requires a massive amount of electricity to keep the industrial sector powered, so it makes sense to have a dedicated grid.

Texas has a strong culture of self-sufficiency, which had an influence on the development of its own energy grid. It does have links to the other interconnections, which get used during particularly high demand periods. Unusually hot summers or long heat waves can sometimes lead to Texas importing energy, so the air conditioners keep going strong.

The utility companies governed by the ERCOT typically do not sell energy outside state lines. This configuration allows Texas to set most of its own rules and regulations, as opposed to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission setting oversight in place. State regulators can make decisions that make the most sense for their residents, rather than making adjustments based on the needs of multiple states.

Texas has the space and natural resources needed to produce inexpensive electricity for residents and businesses. These costs fall below the national average. Renewable energy sources, such as wind-powered electricity, are moving Texas to more environmentally friendly options.

However, inexpensive energy does have a downside. Population growth in Austin is significant, thanks to startups, tech companies and other businesses moving into the area. Google Fiber also plays a role in bringing in more people. The energy grid needs to adapt to the rising amount of individuals who call Texas home, but electricity companies have less of an incentive to build in Texas compared to states with higher energy costs.

Contact Bryant Electric Service to make sure you’re getting the most out of the Texas Power grid and take back your energy today!

Though there are a variety of different electrical tasks that a handy homeowner can tackle on their own, taking on a job that is too complex or difficult for you can be deadly. If you do not know exactly what you are doing, or if you have to work with the electrical wiring in your home, we highly recommend that you have a professional electrician in Pasadena do the job. If you familiarize yourself with some of the most common signs and symptoms of wiring problems and other electrical problems, you will know when it is time to give us a call.

The following are some of the most common signs of more serious electrical problems:

You should never procrastinate in having your electrical system inspected by a professional electrician Pasadena. This is because even small problems can result in huge dangers. Keep your home and family safe by knowing, recognizing and responding to these signs of wiring issues.

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As the winter months approach, it’s time to start making your plan for potential power outages that often come with the yearly DMV snowfall. With the Farmer’s Almanac predicting a particularly harsh winter, the sounder the plan is, the more comfortable you’ll be when the cold hits!

Perhaps the best strategy to prevent against home blackouts is to install a stand-by generator. A standby generator supply backup power to your home when the grid goes down, keeping your home toasty and warm against the cold outside. But what else can a standby generator help your home with? Let the experts at Kolb Electric help!

Obviously, the best thing about a standby generator is that it will provide electricity to your home when your power goes out. But aside from that, it has a few distinct advantages over your basic generator that requires a manual start. A standby generator:

Despite common conception, standby generators are actually very affordable. These days, there are standby generators available from as small as three kilowatts, which are both affordable and powerful enough to provide supplementary emergency power to essential electrical systems.

Standby generators are safer, more reliable, and less expensive to run than portable generators and require no input on your part—they start and stop automatically. If you live in Maryland, Virginia, or Washington, DC and want to install a standby generator in your home, call Kolb Electric today!

It is the time of year parent’s relish—back to school. Summer has come to an end and it is time to gear up for fall sports and cooler temperatures. It is time to open the windows and enjoy the cool breezes that freshen the home and break up that stale humid air that has been trapped inside all summer long. Along with the cool fall temperatures comes the pesky flies. There is a way to keep your house cool, even on those warm days, while creating enough of a breeze flies won’t want to hang out for long. A ceiling fan will help stir the air in your house, giving you that fresh feeling you have longed for all summer and help deter flies. It is time to get a ceiling fan installed by an electrician in Los Angeles like those at The Electric Connection.

A ceiling fan is a fixture that not only serves multiple purposes, but it also looks great in any room. Your fan will help keep you cool in the summer, warm in the winter and give the entire room a nice, fresh feeling. You are probably wondering how a fan is going to keep you warm. Well, when your furnace is on or you have your woodstove going, the heat is floating up to the ceiling. That doesn’t do you any good explains an electrician. Los Angeles homeowners do not want to waste electricity or wood by heating the ceiling.

A ceiling fan helps to push the hot air down into the room, making the room and you warmer. In the summer, the breeze feels nice and the spinning blades pull the hot air up to the ceiling where you won’t feel it. A Los Angeles electrician can explain more about how this works. Give The Electric Connection a call today and schedule your ceiling fan installation.