XLU - Texas power prices skyrocket as scorching heat pushes demand to record highs

2023-08-05 20:45:52 ET

Texas electricity prices for the grid surged more than 800% to top $2,500/MWh for Sunday evening, up from Saturday's high of about ~$275, Bloomberg reported, citing data from grid operator ERCOT.

ERCOT said the surplus of available power capacity on the grid relative to power consumption will narrow to 1.6 GW in the hour ending at 6 p.m. Sunday, a level that can trigger emergency responses, although the state's major grid operator said it can tap additional reserves to meet demand.

Power usage on Sunday is expected to peak at nearly 84.4 GW at around 4 p.m., which would be an all-time high for ERCOT, but power supply problems would be more likely once solar generation starts to wane at sunset.

ERCOT has issued a weather watch for Sunday and Monday "due to forecast higher temperatures, higher demand, and potential lower reserves," as much of the state bakes under an excessive heat warning; temperatures in Dallas, for example, are expected to hit 107 F.

Potentially relevant tickers include ( VST ), ( NRG ), ( CEG ), ( CNP ), ( AEP ), ( SRE )

• More analysis on potentially relevant stocks:
• Vistra: All-Time Highs In Texas Heat And Stock Price
• CenterPoint Energy: Delivering Electricity In Texas
• NRG Energy: Go Back To The Basics To Deliver Returns

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