ERCOT last month set a new record for April peak demand, registering a high of 53,420 MW during the hour ending 5 p.m. on April 28, easily exceeding forecasted demand of 51,622 MW.

That marked a 4.88% increase from the high for the same month last year, when the Texas grid operator recorded a peak of 50,932 MW.

ERCOT’s previous high for the month occurred April 18, 2006, when unseasonably high temperatures led to a peak of 51,800 MW.

The ISO generated more than 26 million MWh of electricity in April, bettering the forecast of 25,872,676 MWh. For the year, it has produced 102.4 million MWh, up from 100.5 million MWh through April 2016.

Coal last month surpassed natural gas as ERCOT’s primary fuel source for the first time since January, accounting for 33.57% of the ISO’s energy production. Gas accounted for 33.31% of energy produced and wind another 24.88%. Nuclear dropped to 7.08% of energy production, down from its previous 2017 low of 12.67% in March.

— Tom Kleckner