Dog days of summer no match for power of CPS Energy
The dog days of summer are bringing record demand for electricity in San Antonio and the rest of the Lone Star State, but utilities said they are able to meet the demand.
Data from the Electric Reliability Council of Texas show that Texas reached a new record for electricity use when demand reached 69.8 GW between 4 and 5 p.m. on Aug. 10. ERCOT manages the flow of electric power to 24 million Texas customers, representing about 90 percent of the state’s electric load.
ERCOT was able to handle this extremely high demand without any system emergencies but it was a completely different story in 2011 when several emergencies were declared.
Although the forecast calls for 90 degree weather instead of triple digit heat, San Antonio’s municipally owned utility company CPS Energy reports that it has diverse power generation capabilities such as coal, natural gas, nuclear, wind and solar that can produce up to 7,500 MW of electricity.
CPS Energy’s interim vice president for Energy Supply and Market Operations John Bonnin said the average daily demand for electricity is about 4,800 MW in August but resources must be shared across the state’s electrical grid.
“Our power plants have been highly reliable this summer,” Bonnin said. “They continue to keep our fuel prices stable. So each day, it’s all about planning, execution and operational excellence.”
