Posted on 08/07/2015 9:49:02 AM PDT by thackney
Texas power users broke a record for the second time in two days this week after electric demand peaked at 68,912 megawatts on Thursday between 4 and 5 p.m.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which runs the state’s electric grid, said the preliminary estimate for power demand during that hour was the highest it has ever recorded. Thursday’s peak was just ahead of the record set on Wednesday, when demand registered 68,538 megawatts.
ERCOT noted that one megawatt is enough to power 200 homes during peak demand.
Much of Texas is under a heat advisory this week, with triple-digit temperatures hitting parts of the state. The high for Houston on Thursday was 103 degrees, with the heat expected to continue Friday and into the weekend.
Dan Woodfin, ERCOT’s director of operations, said in a release that the system was expecting very high demand as long as the heat persists.
“We’re expecting demand to remain at very high levels as temperatures stay above 100 degrees the next few days in most of Texas,” Woodfin said in the release. “ERCOT will continue to monitor system conditions closely to ensure we are prepared to maintain overall reliability and protect the grid.”
Here’s the last six record-setting power days, according to ERCOT:
Aug. 6, 2015: 68,912 megawatts Aug. 5, 2015: 68,459 megawatts Aug. 3, 2011: 68,305 megawatts Aug. 2, 2011: 67,929 megawatts Aug. 1, 2011: 66,841 megawatts Aug. 23, 2010: 65,776 megawatts
A record for Texas? What is California’s Peak Record?
It’s hot in Texas in August! Imagine that?
At least we had some good spring rains that filled our lakes almost to capacity.
Nothing in the last couple of weeks, though
Meh. It’s not that hot...yet. It’s a typical early August in Texas. We still have another 30-45 days of heat to go.
There’s some unexpected hot weather in central Europe too.It was 102 in Frankfurt today.
We need those power plants Obama forced to shut down back!!
Yep, not hardly a drop since the floods
Poor Euro-Peons don’t like AC.. I bet they do now until it cools off and they return to their arrogant, superior, smug ways
Texas typically uses about 50% or so more electricity than California.
http://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/epm_table_grapher.cfm?t=epmt_5_4_a
http://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/current_year/september2014.pdf
Forcasts call for 101-103 degree temps for Houston all week!!
wow....I’d not have guessed that.
And there is very little wind this time if year, so those obscene windmills just don’t turn. Yea, how’s that wind generation crap working out?
We get to use swamp (evaporative) coolers much more than AC because of drier climes...but the a$$clowns in Sacramento think we still use too much power...smh
Let's ask Rick Perry.
Works great in a dry environment. The “misters” you see outside some clubs, etc. that have them operate on the same principle.
“The coldest winter I ever saw was the summer I spent in San Francisco.”
- Mark Twain
Those colder waters impact them.
Not to mention we have more industry consuming power. Lots of Watts used at the Refineries and Chemical Plants.
Wind is providing about 10% of Texas Electricity after the buildouts.
Oh, I certainly don’t condemn Texas for that kind of usage. A thriving, driving economy needs it.
To me there is NOTHING thriving and driving in California except the creation of liberals and more illegal Mexicans.
Yeah, those don’t work to well with the Houston area humidity.
They are better than nothing at our outdoor events.
Yeah, until monsoon season with it’s higher humidity and high temps rolls around...then the AC gets to cranking!
Anything above about 30% humidity and the swamp coolers are just about useless.
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