HOUSTON, TX — Texas grid operator, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), announced that the state’s peak power demand reached 85,558.98 megawatts (MW) on Tuesday August 21. The last record was 85,508 about a year ago on August 23, 2023.
Although ERCOT said the network supplied enough power to meet the high demand, there were about 8,500 reported outages in Harris County.
Many big cities in the state have been under an excessive heat warning. The record-high demand on Tuesday came after several other breaking records in April and May this year.
A heat dome that caused 90 straight days of three-digit temperatures in Phoenix, Arizona is coming to Texas on Wednesday. However, it’s expected to cool down toward the end of the week, according to the National Weather Service.
High demands due to inclement weather have also caused the Texas grid to break down in the past. Unprecedented heating demands during the 2021 winter storm crippled the grid and left at least 4.5 million people without power for days amid frigid temperatures. The Texas Department of State Health Services reported that among the 246 winter storm deaths, many died because of the lack of power.
To be independent of federal regulations, Texas generates its own electricity from natural gas, solar, and wind. Since 2023, ERCOT has been working with the Woodlands-based company Plus Power to receive extra energy from battery storage centers and stabilize the grid when demands peak.
