Post: ERCOT warns of tight supplies this Summer

ERCOT warns of tight supplies this Summer

Tight power supplies are possible during late evenings in Texas this summer, as ERCOT cautioned that the state won’t have enough on-demand power generation to meet the need during peak hours.

Published on May 3, the latest seasonal assessment covering the upcoming summer season (June -September) ERCOT said while it anticipates under normal summer conditions there should be enough electricity to meet demand, after sunset, and before winds pick up in the western parts of the state, supply could be tight.

The peak forecast is expected to be 82,739MW, while over 97,000 MW of summer-rated resource capacity is expected to be available. This includes 688MW of planned thermal resources and 372MW of planned solar resources forecasted to be available by July 2023. The total resource amount also includes 3,544MW of installed battery storage capacity, with 447MW of the installed total assumed to be available for dispatch prior to the highest summer net load hours.

“On the hottest days of summer there is no longer enough on-demand, dispatchable power generation to meet demand in our system, said Peter Lake, chairman of the Public Utility Commission of Texas.

“The Texas grid faces a new reality […] Data shows for the first time that the peak demand for electricity this summer will exceed the amount we can generate from on-demand dispatchable power, so we will be relying on renewables to keep the lights on”, he added.

Wayne Muncaster, SVP for North America at GridBeyond, commented:

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