ERCOT Hits 91,000 MW Demand Record; Grid Operates Without Emergency

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) recorded 91,300 megawatts (MW) of demand on July 22, 2026, marking the first time the operator has crossed the 91,000 MW threshold in its history. The previous official record of 85,508 MW set in August 2023 was exceeded by nearly 6,000 MW.

The milestone was reached around 5:00 PM local time during a heatwave that pushed temperatures above 38 °C, with heat indices reaching up to 46 °C due to humidity from Tropical Storm Bertha. The day before, on July 21, demand had already surpassed the 2023 record by nearing 87,400 MW. ERCOT operates as a liberalized electricity market without significant interconnection to other U.S. grids, making it a reference case for Latin American markets evaluating opening schemes, including Mexico's National Electric System (SEN).

Despite the historical record, the grid operated under normal conditions without an emergency declaration. ERCOT spokesperson Trudi Webster told Inside Climate News that the operator maintains a reliability focus and manages the grid conservatively. Available capacity at the time of the peak stood around 113,500 MW, providing a reserve margin exceeding 20,000 MW, according to Community Impact.

Solar energy contributed between 35 and 45 percent of electricity during daytime hours on July 21 and 22, according to Inside Climate News. Texas has added nearly 11,000 MW of new generation capacity in recent months and projects reaching more than 45,000 MW of solar and 27,000 MW of storage by the end of 2026. This compares to the 20,000 MW of solar and 5,000 MW of batteries available in 2023. The growth of data centers and large industrial consumers has accelerated demand expansion in the state, reported Bloomberg.

Final figures will be known after the market settlement process, which uses higher-precision meters. ERCOT estimates an emergency probability of 0.21 percent for July, but the risk rises to 5.96 percent in August and 4.38 percent in September, the months of greatest stress for the Texas grid.

This note was drafted with artificial intelligence assistance from verified sources and reviewed by a human editor before publication.