(Reuters) -Texas’ day by day energy consumption set a file for the month of Might for the fifth time this month, the state grid operator mentioned on Monday, as properties and companies fired up air conditioners throughout a warmth wave.
The Electrical Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), which operates many of the state’s energy grid for 27 million prospects, mentioned demand soared to a preliminary 74,997 megawatts (MW) on Monday, which might prime the previous excessive for the month of Might of 73,756 MW set late on Sunday.
Analysts anticipate electrical energy consumption will hit an all-time excessive this summer time amid financial and inhabitants progress in Texas and rising demand for energy from knowledge facilities, synthetic intelligence and cryptocurrency mining. The grid’s all-time peak was 85,508 MW on Aug. 10, 2023.
On Friday, ERCOT mentioned the system was working usually with sufficient provide out there to satisfy anticipated demand all week.
The elevated demand has pushed costs greater with day-ahead energy for one hour on Sunday night rising to $1,518 per MWh, from $42.19 per MWh for a similar hour on Saturday.
Energy demand broke the day by day file for the month of Might on Might 20, when it hit a preliminary 72,261 megawatts (MW), which topped the earlier file for the month of Might, 71,645 MW set in 2022.
Excessive temperatures in Houston, Texas’s greatest metropolis, will attain 93 levels Fahrenheit (34 levels Celsius) on Sunday and rise to 99 F (37 C) on Memorial Day, in keeping with AccuWeather meteorologists. The traditional excessive in Houston at the moment of 12 months is 88 F (31 C).
One megawatt can often energy about 800 properties on a standard day however as few as 250 on a scorching summer time day in Texas.
