Dive Brief:
- The Electric Reliability Council of Texas posted three new demand records last week across two consecutive days, as the state saw temperatures spike during a lengthy heat wave.
- On Aug. 5 ERCOT set an all-time record for hourly demand of 68,459 MW between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m., besting the previous record of 68,305 MW set in 2011.
- The following day demand spikes set two new records: 68,538 MW between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m., followed by 68,912 MW in the next hour.
Dive Insight:
Before last week, the previous demand record in ERCOT was set in 2011 -- the hottest Texas summer on record. But the grid operator has been suffering a triple-digit heat wave, that is finally expected to break on Tuesday. Monday, according to ERCOT Meteorologist Chris Coleman, may wind up being the hottest day of the year in Texas.
According to ERCOT, the last seven demand records set all occured in August:
- 68,912 MW -- Aug. 6, 2015
- 68,538 MW -- Aug. 6, 2015
- 68,459 MW -- Aug. 5, 2015
- 68,305 MW -- Aug. 3, 2011
- 67,929 MW -- Aug. 2, 2011
- 66,841 MW -- Aug. 1, 2011
- 65,776 MW -- Aug. 23, 2010
Wind generation contrinuted about 2,500 MW during the Aug. 5 peak., ERCOT said, and about 3,400 MW during the Aug. 6 peak.
The grid operator tipped its hat to the industry in a statement, noting the demand spikes had not threatened reliability. "We appreciate the work generation and transmission providers in the ERCOT region have put into preparing the system for ever-increasing electric demand as the Texas economy continues to grow," ERCOT Senior Vice President and COO Brad Jones said.
According to Coleman's forecast, most of ERCOT will be cooler by Wednesday with more cloud cover and rain possibilities. That said, the region is still looking at 95- to 100-degree temperatures, instead of 100 to 105.
