Texas sets record for electricity consumption on Wednesday – ERCOT

ERCOT expects high demand for electricity during remainder of week

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) system set an all-time record for hourly demand between 4 and 5 p.m. Wednesday, with peak demand for electricity reaching 68,459 megawatts (MW).

“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,” said Brad Jones, ERCOT senior VP and CEO.

The previous all-time record, set on Aug. 3, 2011, was 68,305 MW, during an extended period of record high temperatures.

One MW is enough to power about 200 homes during periods of peak demand.

“With temperatures expected to continue to rise tomorrow and Friday, we likely will see even higher demand the remainder of the week,” said Jones.

“ERCOT will continue to monitor system conditions closely to determine whether voluntary conservation is needed by consumers to maintain overall reliability and protect the grid.”

ERCOT Meteorologist Chris Coleman predicts temperatures throughout the region will remain in the triple digits through early next week. See his forecast here.

Wind generation contributed about 2,500 MW during today’s peak.

Consumers can monitor ERCOT system conditions at www.ercot.com or through the ERCOT Energy Saver mobile app, available free for Apple or Android devices.