DALLAS — Texas could soon be demanding a record amount of energy, according to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT).
As of Tuesday morning, ERCOT said the company is predicting nearly 76.9 gigawatts of demand statewide at 5 p.m. on Friday, when temperatures could reach triple digits across the state.
The record for electricity demand in ERCOT’s system was set in August 2019 at 74.8 gigawatts.
Every hour, ERCOT posts a spreadsheet that shows the forecasted electricity demand out for 7 days. You can see those statistics here.
In May, the current Operating Condition Notice extended a warning about extreme hot weather in the ERCOT region. Earlier that month, ERCOT recommended that the public set their home thermostats to 78 degrees and avoid using large appliances, a recommendation that isn't happening this time around, yet.
On Wednesday, ERCOT again extended its Operating Condition Notice from Friday, June 10, 2022 until Monday, June 13, 2022.
“ERCOT will continue to closely monitor grid conditions as the unseasonable heat continues,” Brad Jones, Interim CEO of ERCOT, said in May. “I want to thank Texans who reduced their electric demand. And, I thank the power generators who completed their maintenance and repairs quickly to get back online and meet Texans’ needs during this heatwave. With these efforts, we are no longer requesting Texans to voluntarily conserve electricity during peak evening hours.”