Texas power grid braces for record electric use
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) said power demand might reach 65,911 megawatts as temperatures peak between 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. CDT, surpassing the August 17, 2006 peak of 62,339 MW.
In its annual summer forecast released in May, ERCOT estimated the 2007 peak would be 63,794 MW, up 2.3 percent from the 2006 record.
So far this summer, ERCOT demand has not hit 60,000 MW due to a rainy June and July. The August 10 peak demand was 59,067 MW as isolated showers trimmed afternoon demand around Houston.
The power region has about 70,200 MW of generation. ERCOT can curtail about 1,100 MW of load when supplies are tight, but no formal demand-response program under which pays companies to trim consumption during emergencies.
An ERCOT spokeswoman said the agency was ready for hot weather and anticipated no problems unless generators unexpectedly shut.
The grid operator used blackouts in April 2006 to avoid widespread power disruption when an early heat wave hit while generators had dozens of power plants shut for seasonal maintenance.
Related News
Stop the Shock campaign seeks to bring back Canadian coal power
EDMONTON - Since when did electricity become a scarce resource?
I thought all the talk about greening the grid was about having renewable, sustainable, less polluting options to fulfill our growing need for power. Yet, increasingly, we are faced with news stories that indicate using power is bad in and of itself.
The implication, I guess, is that we should be using less of it. But, I don’t want to use less electricity. I want to be able to watch TV, turn my lights on when the sun sets at 4 p.m. in the winter, keep my food cold and power my…
