Texas Sets All-Time Power Demand as Historic Heat Ravages Region

For two weeks a blistering heat wave has caused temperatures to soar in the US state of Texas. That same weather pattern, referred to by meteorologists as an “omega block” has brought cool, rainy conditions to New England, and hot temperatures to the Northwest and Northern Plains.

A continuing heat wave in Texas is putting the Lone Star State’s power grid to the test, a power grid that in the past prompted serious criticism to befall the state's government in 2021 after it underwent failures during three back-to-back winter storms.

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), responsible for managing roughly 90% of the state’s power grid, reported an unofficial all-time record for electricity demand this week as Texans pump up their air conditioners and other appliances in an effort to stay cool amid triple-digit temperatures.

That new record for demand surpassed nearly 81,000 megawatts of electricity on Tuesday, beating last year’s record of 76,681 megawatts of electricity which was used on June 23. ERCOT officials, however, have noted that the record is based on preliminary figures and aren’t official just yet.

According to one news outlet, solar power was able to provide Texans with 20% of those power needs on Tuesday alone.

Earlier this month, ERCOT requested customers to cut back on their electricity use, as they predicted the surge in demand amid the sweltering heat. Last week, for instance, a postal worker in Dallas died due to the heat index which rose to 115 degrees Fahrenheit.

Texas’ power grid has been carefully watched ever since 2021, when an ice storm in Texas managed to knock out power to millions of residents for days. Since then, skepticism surrounding the power grid’s ability to withstand extreme weather has called lawmakers into action.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott said improvements on the power grid had been made since the winter storm, but state lawmakers are still pushing for changes to be made on how Texans get their power, insisting for more on-demand power solutions, as opposed to wind and solar power.