The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), the Lone Star state’s grid operator, asked Texans on Monday to limit their electricity use as much as possible through Friday, citing tight grid conditions caused by a large number of unexpected shutdowns of generators and heightened electricity use in the state. Texans are being asked by ERCOT in its voluntary conservation alert to set thermostats to 78 degrees or higher. “Every degree of cooling increases your energy use by six to eight percent,” ERCOT said in its announcement. They are also being asked to turn off lights and pool pumps, and avoid using large appliances like ovens, washing machines, and dryers. Residents are also encouraged to turn off or unplug electricity that is not needed. People who have critical medical needs are advised to contact their local electric utility and “have a backup plan in case controlled outages are needed later.” ERCOT said …