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Rolling power outages are in effect across Texas including Dallas

North Dallas, February 15, 2021.

Photo by Steve Meloncon

Electricity providers across Texas have begun rolling power outages across the state, due to high demand in response to the winter storm.

An announcement posted on Oncor's website says that the outages could last 15-45 minutes. They subsequently tweeted that the outages could last up to hours.

Due to record-breaking electric demand and reduced power generation as a result of the extreme winter weather, rotating outages are now in effect. Rotating outages are controlled, temporary interruptions of electrical service that rotate through different parts of the electric grid. These outages typically last 15-45 minutes in each area but may vary. Conservation remains critical and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) continues to urge all Texans to limit and reduce their electric use as much as possible.

According to WFAA, the rotating outages began at 1:25 am on Monday, February 15, and could be in place "until the weather emergency ends."

There are already more than 1.14 million Oncor customers without power as of Monday at 9 am.

The outages are in place due to an order from The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), the agency in charge of Texas' electric grid, which has issued a level 3 emergency, because supplies can't keep up with demand. According to ERCOT's website, "reserves have dropped below 1,000 MW and are not expected to recover within 30 minutes; as a result, ERCOT has ordered transmission companies to reduce demand on the system."

This is typically done through rotating outages, used as a last resort to preserve the reliability of the electric system as a whole.

Power companies recommend reducing energy usage from 5-9 am and 6-10 pm, the hours when temperatures are coldest (in the morning) and electricity demand is highest (at night).

Other suggestions include:

Turn down your thermostat to 68 degrees
Keep lights off when not in a room
Unplug appliances not in use
Avoid using large appliances like washing machines, especially during peak times
Close off heat escape routes like drafty doors or fireplace dampers
Set your ceiling fan to rotate clockwise to force warm air downwards
Close blinds and shades at night to keep out cold air. Open during the day to allow sunshine in.

Officials said that demand could become even greater with record low temperatures on Tuesday.

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Unhappy holidays

Porch pirates pilfer nearly $2B worth of Texas packages, study shows

Porch Pirate Person in Glasses Steals Packages

Getty Images

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’Tis the season for porch pirates. If past trends are an indicator, the Grinch will swipe close to $2 billion worth of packages delivered to Texas households this year, with many of those thefts happening ahead of the holiday season.

An analysis of FBI and survey data by ecommerce marketing company Omnisend shows porch pirates stole more than $1.8 billion worth of packages from Texans’ porches last year. Porch pirates hit nearly one-third of the state’s households in 2024, according to the analysis.

Omnisend’s analysis reveals these statistics about porch piracy in Texas:

30.1 million residential package thefts in 2024.
An average household loss of $169 per year.
An annual average of 2.9 package thefts per household.

“Most stolen items are cheap on their own, but add them up, and retailers and consumers are facing an enormous bill,” says Omnisend.

Another data analysis, this one from The Action Network sports betting platform, unwraps different figures regarding porch piracy in Texas.

The platform’s 2025 Porch Pirate Index ranks Texas as the state with the highest volume of residential thefts, based on 2023-24 FBI data.

Researchers at The Action Network uncovered 26,293 reports of personal property thefts at Texas residences during that period. The network’s survey data indicates 5 percent of Texas residents had a package stolen in the three months before the pre-holiday survey.

The Porch Pirate Index calculates a 25.8 percent risk of a Texas household being victimized by porch pirates, putting it in the No. 5 spot among states with the highest risk of porch piracy.

The Action Network included online-search volume for terms like “package stolen” and “porch pirates.” Sustained spikes in these searches suggest that “people are actively looking for guidance after something has happened. Search trends serve as an early warning system, revealing emerging-risk areas well before annual crime statistics are released,” the network says.

Tips to avoid being a victim
So, how do you prevent porch pirates from snatching packages that end up on your porch? Omnisend, The Action Network and Amazon offer these eight tips:

Closely monitor deliveries and quickly retrieve packages.
Schedule deliveries for times when you’ll be home.
Use delivery lockers or in-store pickup when possible.
Ask delivery services to hide packages in out-of-sight spots outside your home.
Install a visible doorbell camera or security camera.
Coordinate deliveries with neighbors or building managers if you’ll be away from your home when packages are supposed to arrive.
Request that delivery services hold your packages if you can’t be home when they’re scheduled to come.
Illuminate the path to your doorstep and keep porch lights on.

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