ERCOT sets new hourly peak load record of 91.1 GW on July 22, 2026, exceeding previous highs including Winter Storm Uri

Hourly peak load in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), the regional transmission organization serving most of Texas, reached a record 91.1 gigawatts (GW) on July 22, 2026. This broke the previous peak of 85.5 GW set on August 10, 2023—a 6% increase.

The peak occurred at 6:00 p.m. CT during a heat wave. Natural gas supplied 48% of generation at that time, while solar accounted for 32%.

ERCOT's record reflects broader trends across the region. Electricity demand and generation have been increasing in Texas, and heat waves are likely to continue setting records as demand climbs. In the Southwest Power Pool, demand reached 57.9 GW on July 27 at 5:00 p.m. CT, also a record. As electricity demand rises across regions, periods of high demand driven by extreme weather are increasingly likely to exceed previous records.