Texas’ grid operator raised eyebrows this week when it reported that peak demand on the grid could more than quadruple by 2032.
The 2032 peak load forecast of 367,790 megawatts far exceeds the highest recorded peak demand for the Texas grid — 85,508 megawatts in August 2023.
The forecast is preliminary, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas cautioned in the filing submitted to the Public Utility Commission of Texas. In a Friday PUCT meeting, officials agreed the forecast is likely higher than what demand will actually look like in the years ahead.