By Tom Kleckner
ERCOT set new all-time systemwide peak demand records Wednesday afternoon, reaching 72.2 GW between 4 and 5 p.m.
That eclipsed the mark of 71.4 GW set between 3 and 4 p.m., which broke the prior record of 71.1 GW set in August 2016.
Real-time hub average prices peaked at $2,172.70/MWh on Wednesday in the interval ending at 4:30 p.m. The West load zone saw prices reach $2,281.95/MWh during that same interval. According to Bloomberg data, it was the highest prices have been since August 2015, when they hit $2,233/MWh.
Texas has been bedeviled by a high-pressure system that has settled over it and is expected to result in triple-digit temperatures into next week. Wednesday’s highs in the Dallas/Fort Worth area reached 108 degrees Fahrenheit in places. The region is expecting temperatures to reach 106 through Saturday, while Houston is looking at 100-degree days into next week.
“Texans continue to deal with extreme heat across the state as ERCOT and electricity providers are working diligently to ensure they have the power they need to keep cool,” ERCOT said in a written statement.
The ISO system cracked 70 GW of demand Monday and Tuesday, bettering the previous monthly high of 69.7 GW set July 3. Demand reached 70.6 GW and 70.96 GW, respectively.
“We fully expect to keep hitting new demand records as summer 2018 continues,” ERCOT said.
The grid operator has forecasted demand will top 74 GW on Thursday and Friday, 72 GW over the weekend and 75 GW on July 23.
ERCOT spokesperson Theresa Gage said the ISO has yet to issue a conservation appeal, despite the oppressive heat.
“As ERCOT predicted in the spring, we will likely break usage records as temperatures climb,” Gage said. “So far, the system is performing as expected.”
Staff in the spring projected a record peak of 72.97 GW in August, assuming normal weather conditions. The ISO says it has 78.2 GW of capacity available, with a planning reserve margin of 11%. (See ERCOT Gains Additional Capacity to Meet Summer Demand.)
The grid operator has now recorded four new monthly highs this year.
