In July ERCOT set a new monthly record for system demand. (See utility Dive article here) While total load was high, the electric system managed to avoid extreme pricing levels. Houston power prices almost reached $70/MWh during the July 20 heat wave referenced in the article above. That is a relatively high price, though I would have expected something bigger, especially since Houston prices seem to be running a little higher this year. The table and two charts below come from the last Utility Stats Monthly issue and cover data through June. You can see that prices are running substantially higher compared to last year. The price duration curve is higher than many recent years, and we have yet to go through the bulk of the summer. Updated data through July will be available in the next Utility Stats Monthly coming out in August.
