DALLAS, TX — In mid-August 2024, Texas faced an unprecedented heatwave, with temperatures soaring well above 100°F across the state. The National Weather Service issued excessive heat warnings, and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) reported an all-time high in energy demand, reaching 85,931 megawatts on August 20, surpassing the previous record of 85,508 megawatts set in August 2023.
To address the strain on the power grid, ERCOT invested over $110 million in temporary generators and extended operations at the aging Braunig 3 natural gas plant, adding 850 megawatts to the grid. Despite these measures, the aging transmission infrastructure continues to pose reliability challenges, particularly in rapidly growing regions like San Antonio.
The heatwave not only tested the resilience of the power grid but also raised concerns about public health and safety. High temperatures led to increased use of air conditioning, further exacerbating energy demand. ERCOT urged residents to conserve electricity during peak hours to prevent potential blackouts.
In response to the crisis, CPS Energy, the municipal utility serving San Antonio, announced plans to retire the Braunig 1 and 2 units by March 31, 2025, while keeping Braunig 3 operational under a Reliability Must-Run (RMR) agreement with ERCOT. However, inspections revealed unexpected complications, including a failed superheat header, potentially delaying the unit’s restart by up to 12 months and increasing costs beyond the original $100 million estimate.
To mitigate the risk of outages, ERCOT approved the deployment of 15 portable generators around San Antonio, sourced from CenterPoint Energy’s fleet originally intended for Houston. These generators, each providing around 30 megawatts, are expected to alleviate congestion during peak times.
Looking ahead, ERCOT projects that peak demand could reach 87,500 megawatts in the summer of 2025, driven by population growth and increased energy consumption from data centers and cryptocurrency mining operations. While investments in solar energy and battery storage have bolstered the grid’s capacity, the risk of emergency alerts remains, particularly in the evenings when solar generation ceases.
As Texas continues to grapple with extreme weather events and a growing population, the state faces the challenge of modernizing its energy infrastructure to ensure reliability and resilience in the face of increasing demand.
