Texas Grid Roundup #9, April 17, 2024

Updates on an ERCOT report showing potential for 62 gigawatts of new demand by 2030, Senate electric grid interim charges, an emerging smart thermostat pilot, and grid conditions this week

Below you’ll find some timely updates for the what’s happening with the Texas grid this week. Before you dive in, make sure you mark your calendars for two upcoming live chats during ERCOT’s Board Meeting Tuesday, April 23 from 10-11am CT and the PUC Open Meeting Thursday, April 25 also from 10-11am CT. Find instructions on how to join here.

Also, I will be recording a mailbag episode of the Energy Capital Podcast this week. If you have any questions that you want answered, please respond in the comments or send an email to douglewin@substack.com by the end of the day.

As always, the Texas Grid Roundup is for paid subscribers only. If you want to read the full Roundup, and attend the upcoming chats, please upgrade your subscription today!

ERCOT Demand May Double by 2030

ERCOT’s Regional Planning Group had these stunning slides in a presentation last week, showing a possible 62 gigawatt increase by 2030 (over and above an already higher forecast of about 90 gigawatts), putting Texas at 152 gigawatts: a more than 100% increase over the 2020 peak. If it materializes, it’ll likely be the largest growth in a single decade since the1950s.