Texas sets all-time power demand records as historic heat wave drags on

A heat wave has baked Texas for two weeks, with triple-digit record temperatures being reported across large swaths of the state nearly every day. Breaking the peak demand recordsAccording to ERCOT, the previous June record for power demand was last year, when 76,681 megawatts were used on June 23. Not only does this figure break the June record, but it also breaks the all-time peak demand record on the ERCOT power grid. "Official demand records are NOT confirmed until settlements/data has been finalized which can take several days," a spokesperson for ERCOT said. "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," said former PUC chairman Peter Lake.