ERCOT power prices test summer highs amid record demand, tight supply
Sunset to test Texas grid today as demand soars, solar wanes
Record electricity demand, tight supply producing extreme Texas power prices
Second highest day-ahead pricing of this summer today, topping out over $2,000/MWh
Texas power prices flare up in summer heat
Spicy ERCOT day-ahead power prices today will top out over $2,000/MWh amid tight forecast supply and potential record-setting electricity demand.
Prices will peak not when demand is highest in the early evening, but when solar supply retires at sunset. The table below shows ERCOT day-ahead hub prices for today, with hours ending 17-21 (4-9pm) all reaching into the quadruple digits.
This summer still features plenty of volatile afternoon pricing, but as more solar saturates ERCOT’s grid, the most potent prices will continue to migrate later into the day.
More record demand, tight conditions ahead
More record electricity demand is possible today and through this week, as heat index highs across major Texas metro areas continue to peak over 110°F.
Monday and Thursday present potential similar challenges of meeting near-record demand with more moderate wind generation. Stronger wind generation Tuesday and Wednesday should help bolster supply and keep power prices in check.
While conventional power capacity provides the bulk of supply during extreme events, demand routinely exceeds dispatchable supply in ERCOT. As a result, ERCOT increasingly relies on wind and solar to hit summer demand peaks.
