ERCOT Issues High Demand Weather Watch

AUSTIN – ERCOT has issued a Weather Watch from August 23-27 due to forecasted higher temperatures, higher electrical demand, and the potential for lower reserves. Grid conditions are expected to be normal during a Weather Watch. ERCOT continues to monitor conditions closely and will deploy all available tools to manage the grid, continuing a reliability-first approach to operations. There is currently enough capacity to meet forecasted demand.

ERCOT set a new all-time weekend peak demand record of 85,116 MW on Sunday, August 20. The current all-time peak demand record of 85,435 MW was set on August 10. In 2022, the August peak demand was 78,465 MW. This summer, ERCOT set 10 new all-time peak demand records. Last year, ERCOT set 11 new peak demand records, surpassing 80 GWs for the first time ever. 

ERCOT’s 6-day Supply and Demand dashboard is showing the possibility of new all-time peak demand records this week. The dashboards will update in real-time as the week progresses.

ERCOT encourages everyone to sign up for grid condition notifications through the Texas Advisory and Notification System (TXANS). Texans can also monitor real-time and extended grid conditions at ercot.com.

What is an ERCOT Weather Watch?
An ERCOT Weather Watch is an advance notification of forecasted significant weather with higher electrical demand and the potential for lower reserves. Grid conditions are expected to be normal, and ERCOT has enough supply to meet demand. There is not a current expectation of an energy emergency. 

What Action is Needed?
No action is needed. You can monitor current and extended grid conditions on ercot.com.

Did You Know?
Reducing electric use during peak demand times can help you save and lower demand on the grid. Energy-saving tips can be found on the TXANS webpage. 

Stay Updated
Sign up for TXANS notifications on the TXANS webpage. You can also subscribe to ERCOT Emergency Alerts which are not sent through TXANS notifications, and download the ERCOT Mobile App for additional notifications: iOS | Android.