Demand for power on the grid that serves most of Texas hit the third-highest level in its history on Wednesday, Aug. 7., and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) notes that wind energy was there to help.
ERCOT reports peak electric use within its region topped out at 67,180 MW during the 4-5 p.m. hour. The operator says the grid experienced no problems during the day, with more than 74,000 MW of electricity, including more than 2,300 MW of wind power, available during the peak hour. Wind energy constituted 3.4% of the operator's fuel mix on Wednesday.
This was ERCOT's highest demand so far in 2013, which has included a mild summer compared to 2012 and the record-breaking 2011, Texas' hottest summer on record. ERCOT's record peak occurred on Aug. 3, 2011, when demand hit 68,305 MW.
