wiredInUSA June 2019

Photo by Aleksandr Eremin on Unsplash

Summer forecast

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) has issued a fresh warning that continued “above-normal” growth in electricity demand could require it to enter Energy Emergency Alert (EEA) status to maintain system reliability this summer. As it released its final Seasonal Assessment of Resource Adequacy (SARA) for the upcoming summer season (June to September), a preliminary assessment for fall, and an updated capacity, demand and reserves (CDR) report, the Texas grid operator said demand this summer could peak at 74,853MW — around 1,300MW higher than the all-time peak demand record set last July. ERCOT said the updated CDR estimates higher planning reserve margins between 2020 and 2023: “Primarily due to an

increased number of potential wind and solar projects that are currently in the interconnection queue and eligible to be included in the CDR.” Since the December 2018 CDR, approximately 733MW of installed wind and solar capacity has been approved by ERCOT for commercial operation, with summer peak capacity contributions of 333MW. Another 22distributedgeneration solar units totaling 143MW were also added to the report (though they have a combined capacity contribution of 106MW). Significantly, the new CDR report also includes 517MW of battery storage, which became newly eligible for inclusion by 2023.

wiredInUSA - June 2019

24