Batteries sent more power to the grid in ERCOT than ever before
Yesterday was a record-setting day in ERCOT. Let’s break it down. 1. ERCOT hit an all-time record for demand, but thanks to strong solar generation throughout the day, prices remained under control, even during the peak. 2. As the sun set and solar output decreased, ERCOT set a new record for net load—the demand that must be met by dispatchable sources. It’s important to note that high prices correlate more with high net load than gross load. 3. Battery storage shattered its previous discharge record, sending 20% more power to the grid than previous record set the the day before as ERCOT fully released ECRS. 4. We saw some of the highest sustained real-time energy prices of the year, with the Hub average 15-minute SPP nearly reaching the $5,000 bid cap. The ORDC played a role in maintaining these high prices. 5. ERCOT deployed nearly all available capacity without any reliability issues. Despite a significant drop in PRC and SCED capacity within 5 minutes, 2,000 MW of extra capacity released from ECRS made a critical difference. ERCOT's performance under these challenging conditions showcases the evolving dynamics of our grid and the critical role of all resources in keeping the system balanced.