{"id":11985,"date":"2025-10-04T06:51:00","date_gmt":"2025-10-04T11:51:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.texaselectricityratings.com\/blog\/?p=11985"},"modified":"2025-09-30T16:28:21","modified_gmt":"2025-09-30T21:28:21","slug":"despite-cool-texas-summer-ercot-warns-of-rising-load","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.texaselectricityratings.com\/blog\/despite-cool-texas-summer-ercot-warns-of-rising-load\/","title":{"rendered":"Despite Cool Texas Summer, ERCOT Warns of Rising Load"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Is Rising Load A Problem?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Rising
Learn why Texas still faces a rising load problem and what you can do to help lower everyone’s rates.<\/em><\/center><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Texans had a cooler summer in 2025, which helped keep energy use lower than expected. ERCOT reported that even with more people and growing energy hungry data centers, the Texas grid avoided summer emergencies<\/a>. From June through August, solar power supplied 15 percent of all ERCOT demand, peaking at 50 percent at one point. Batteries also helped, setting 10 new records this summer. These resources helped Texans enjoy cheap electricity<\/a> even as the summer saw load demand rising about 10 percent compared to last year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remember, green energy saved Texas<\/a> in 2023. And it should help us in the future!\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Electricity prices<\/a> also stayed low last year. Wholesale prices did not go above $200 per megawatt from late July to late August, and residential bills rose<\/a> less than two percent year over year. Still, this calm summer does not mean Texans can relax. ERCOT reports show that demand is climbing<\/a>, and next summer could be different.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Rising Load Matters<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Rising load is not just about heat. Population growth and new data centers are driving energy use higher. ERCOT expects to connect 33.8 gigawatts of large load in 2026 and up to 189 gigawatts by 2030. That means more planning is needed to keep the grid stable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Solar panels and batteries are helping<\/a>, but they cannot fully handle rising load yet. Utility scale batteries are mainly used to manage price changes, not to meet peak demand. That means if Texans pay attention to their energy habits, they really can help cut prices.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Simple Tips to Save Energy and Money<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Follow these simple tips to manage your power during grid stress: <\/p>\n\n\n\n