If you lived in San Antonio in February 2021, you remember what happens when the Texas grid can’t keep up. Millions of homes lost power for days, temperatures dropped into the teens, and pipes burst across the city. The grid has made changes since then, but winter outages are still a real risk for Texas homeowners. Here is what you need to know about ERCOT, why winter is the riskiest season, and how to keep your home running when the power goes out.
What Is ERCOT and Why Does It Matter?
ERCOT, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, manages the power grid that serves most of the state, including San Antonio. Unlike the rest of the country, the Texas grid is largely isolated. When demand spikes and power plants go offline, Texas can’t easily pull extra electricity from neighboring states.
When supply can’t meet demand, ERCOT can order rotating outages to protect the grid from a total collapse. Your utility then shuts off power to neighborhoods in turns, sometimes with little warning.
Why Winter Is the Riskiest Season for Outages
Most people think of summer as peak demand season in Texas, but winter brings a different kind of risk:
- Heating demand spikes overnight. Many Texas homes heat with electricity, so a hard freeze can push demand to record levels.
- Power plants and gas supply can freeze. Equipment that is built for heat can struggle in sustained cold.
- Outages are more dangerous in the cold. In summer, an outage is uncomfortable. In a freeze, homes lose heat quickly and pipes can burst.
This winter, forecasters expect a strong El Niño, which usually brings wetter conditions to South-Central Texas along with the risk of sudden freeze events. That combination makes it a good year to plan your backup power before the first cold front.
What Happens to Your Home During a Winter Outage
Without power, your furnace blower and heat pump stop running, even if you heat with gas. Indoor temperatures can drop fast, and exposed pipes in attics, garages, and exterior walls can freeze within hours. Refrigerated food and medicine spoil, sump pumps and well pumps stop, and when the power comes back, the surge can damage electronics and HVAC components.
Your Backup Power Options: Generator vs. Battery Backup
There is no single right answer. The best choice depends on how long you want to stay powered and what you need to run.
| Standby generator | Battery backup | Portable generator | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Runtime | As long as fuel lasts, often days | Hours, depending on battery size | As long as you refuel by hand |
| Runs central heat and AC | Yes, if sized for it | Usually limited | Rarely |
| Starts automatically | Yes | Yes | No |
| Fuel | Natural gas or propane | Grid or solar recharge | Gasoline |
| Noise | Moderate | Silent | Loud |
| Best for | Long outages and whole-home coverage | Short outages and essentials | Occasional, limited use |
For most San Antonio homeowners who want to stay warm through a multi-day freeze, a whole-home standby generator is the most dependable option. It runs on natural gas or propane, starts on its own within seconds, and can power your heating system for as long as the outage lasts.
How to Prepare Your Home Before the Next Outage
- Decide what you need to keep running. Heat, refrigeration, medical equipment, and internet are the usual priorities.
- Get a load assessment. A licensed electrician can tell you what size generator your home needs.
- Install before winter. Permits and installation take time, and demand rises once the first freeze is in the forecast.
- Add whole-home surge protection. Power often returns with a spike that can damage appliances and HVAC equipment.
- Schedule maintenance. A generator that sits unused all year needs regular service to start when you need it.
- Protect your pipes. Know where your main water shut-off is and insulate exposed pipes.
Get Backup Power Installed Before the Next Freeze
You can’t control the Texas grid, but you can control what happens in your home when it fails. Jon Wayne’s licensed electricians install, service, and maintain whole-home generators across San Antonio, New Braunfels, Universal City, and the surrounding areas. Learn more about whole-home generator installation, protect your electronics with whole-home surge protection, or call (210) 239-2892 to schedule a free estimate.