Heat wave pushes Texas power grid to all-time record
High summer temperatures pushed the Texas power grid to a record high today, and with forecasters predicting more steamy weather ahead more records could be coming.
As air conditioners ramped up between 4 and 5 p.m., power demand reached 68,459 megawatts, according to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas. That appeared to beat the previous all-time record set in August 2011 of 68,305 megawatts, though ERCOT warned Wednesdays tally could change.
With temperatures expected to continue to rise tomorrow and Friday, we likely will see even higher demand the remainder of the week, ERCOT Chief Operating Officer Brad Jones said in a statement.
Temperatures at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport reached 101 degrees around 4pm., with a heat index of 107 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. Temperatures across Texas are expected to reach above 100 degrees through early next week, ERCOT said.
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