ERCOT peak electricity demand tops 69,000 MW for 1st time

The sun-gazing SOHO spacecraft captured this dramatic image of a magnificent prominence above the sun's limb. Seen at the lower right, streams of relatively cool, dense plasma were lofted along looping magnetic field lines extending outward about 30 times the diameter of planet Earth. Far above the limb at the upper right, a disconnected ghostly arc surrounds a dark cavity with bright central emission. These features are telltale signs of a coronal mass ejection--a violent expulsion of material from the sun.
Credit: SOHO - EIT Consortium, ESA, NASA

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Managers of the state’s biggest electrical grid say peak electricity demand has topped 69,000 megawatts for the first time.

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which operates that grid that covers most of the state, says demand peaked at 69,408 megawatts between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Monday, then 69,783 megawatts between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m.

Those marks shattered a record of 68,912 megawatts set between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. Thursday. An ERCOT statement says the system set a weekend record of 66,587 megawatts between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Saturday.

One megawatt is about enough electricity to power about 200 homes during hot weather running air conditioners.

- FWBP Digital Partners -

ERCOT officials expect demand to fall somewhat later this week as temperatures moderate somewhat.

Temperatures at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport reached 105 degrees on Monday, according to the airport’s website.

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Electric Reliability Council of Texas: http://www.ercot.com