The Texas electric grid set a record for power demand Wednesday afternoon, when Texans were cranking up their air conditioners to contend with temperatures climbing into triple digits across the state.
Despite the back-to-back records, ERCOT said the grid had more than enough capacity to meet the red-hot demand. At 5 p.m.’s peak usage, total capacity was 113,529 megawatts — outstripping demand by nearly 25%.
Solar accounted for more than 33% of the grid’s capacity at that time. Despite rapid growth in solar deployment across the state, though, natural gas remains the No. 1 source of energy generation across the Texas grid. It was carrying 47% of the load Wednesday evening.
At an average monthly capacity of 69,700 megawatts, gas almost always makes up the largest chunk of the state’s supply. Wind and solar trail, with 40,586 megawatts and 39,926 megawatts, respectively.
ERCOT doesn’t immediately validate demand records as official and usage is expected to stay high at least through Thursday, so Wednesday’s record could be challenged.
On Wednesday, demand peaked as heat advisories were issued for both the San Antonio and Austin metro areas because of temperatures that eventually exceeded 100 degrees and humidity that sometimes made it feel as hot as 114 degrees.
“For much of Texas, temperatures on Wednesday are at their highest points so far this year,” said newsroom meteorologist Anthony Franze. “Highs reached triple digits for the first time this year in San Antonio, with even hotter temperatures from Austin to Houston.”
The temperature at San Antonio International Airport reached 100 degrees at 3:40 p.m., the city’s first triple-digit mark this year. It peaked at 101. Austin had its first 100-degree day on July 8. Its high Wednesday hit 103.
Temperatures in the Austin-San Antonio area are expected to be near or above the 100-degree mark again Thursday, Franze said. Then, as Tropical Storm Bertha sends moisture into the region late Thursday and into Friday, highs are expected to fall back into the mid-90s.