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The state corporation in control of Texas' electric grid asked Austin Energy and other providers Tuesday morning to shed more power, underscoring the gravity of the ongoing electricity situation. But local officials warned that doing so could mean pulling the plug on circuits used to power critical infrastructure such as hospitals and emergency response stations.
In an interview with the American-Statesman, Austin City Council Member Leslie Pool said the city pushed back against the request from the Electric Reliability Council of Texas. Pool said she was briefed on the request by an assistant city attorney who was part of the conversation with the agency, commonly known as ERCOT.