Our everyday lives rely heavily on electricity, but have you ever wondered where that power comes from? It all starts with the power grid.
What’s a power grid?
A power grid, also referred to as an electrical grid, is a network of generation, transmission and distribution systems that help deliver electricity to homes and businesses. The United States power grid is separated into three regions: the Eastern, Western, and Texas Interconnections. Within each of these three regions, there are interconnected local electricity grids.
Which grid helps power the Entergy Texas service area?
While most Texans are connected to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) power grid, Entergy Texas, along with a few other utilities in Southeast Texas, operates in the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (or MISO) power grid. MISO is a regional transmission organization that helps provide reliable, cost-effective delivery of electricity to 15 U.S. states and one Canadian province. MISO manages the flow of power between and among local grids across this vast region and moves energy around based on need—they liken it to the role of air traffic controllers. Entergy Texas works alongside MISO to maintain a careful balance of electricity demand with available supply from resources located throughout Southeast Texas and beyond. Both MISO and Entergy Texas play important roles in ensuring that the right amount of electricity is generated and transmitted, and that reliability is maintained.
What Texas counties are connected to the MISO power grid?
In partnership with MISO, Entergy Texas helps provide reliable, affordable, and sustainable power to 27 counties in the southeastern part of Texas. Those counties are:
How does being connected to the MISO grid benefit customers?
Entergy Texas customers have saved more than $475 million on electric bills since the company joined MISO in 2013. Because MISO directs the dispatch of a pool of generation to serve the needs of all customers in its footprint, the dispatch is more efficient, resulting in a lower delivered cost of energy and long-term benefits for customers.
For more information on MISO, visit www.misoenergy.org. To learn more about how Entergy Texas is investing to build a stronger, more reliable and resilient grid, visit here.
