Texas power use hits monthly record again during heatwave
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[May 21, 2022] (Reuters)
- Power demand in Texas hit a monthly
record on Thursday and will likely break that high on Friday as
consumers keep air conditioners cranked up to escape a lingering spring
heatwave.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), which operates the
grid for most of the state, said conditions were normal early Friday.
At the start of the current heat, ERCOT was forced to ask customers to
conserve energy on May 13 after several power plants shut unexpectedly,
causing real-time prices to soar to over $4,000 per megawatt hour (MWh).
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But prices have settled down since. Real-time prices have remained below
$100 per MWh since Wednesday night.
Extreme weather reminds Texans of the 2021 February freeze that left
millions without power, water and heat for days during a deadly storm as
ERCOT scrambled to prevent a grid collapse after an unusually large
amount of generation was shut.
AccuWeather forecast high temperatures in Houston, the biggest city in
Texas, would reach the low 90s Fahrenheit (33.3 Celsius) on Friday and
Saturday. That compares with a normal high of 87 in the city at this
time of year.
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![](../images/052122pics/busine33.jpg)
Overhead power lines are seen during record-breaking temperatures in
Houston, Texas, U.S., February 17, 2021. REUTERS/Adrees Latif/File
Photo
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ERCOT said demand peaked at 71,160 megawatts (MW) on Thursday and will rise to
72,792 MW on Friday.
Thursday's high broke the grid's 70,804 MW record for the month of May set on
Tuesday, but remained well short of the all-time high of 74,820 MW in August
2019.
One megawatt can power around 1,000 U.S. homes on a typical day, but only about
200 homes on a hot summer day in Texas.
ERCOT forecast continued economic growth would boost peak demand to 77,317 MW
this summer. The grid expects the addition of wind and solar plants over the
past year increased the amount of power resources available this summer to
91,392 MW.
(Reporting by Scott DiSavino; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)
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