What Does ERCOT’s Fall SARA Say?
When you anticipate the autumn chill, you’re bound to see ERCOT’s Fall SARA to be chill as well. The Seasonal Assessment of Resource Adequacy for fall and spring typically include little to fret over. Milder weather means less power drain on ERCOT’s power suppliers. So the experts at ERCOT predict a low chance of extreme power demand. That means LESS spikey electricity rates.
This fall, peak demand should top out at 64,928 MW. Meanwhile, ERCOT should have 93,492 MW on tap to satisfy that demand. With supply far outpacing demand, power plants tend to use fall and spring for routine maintenance. They can go offline without imperiling Texas power customers. A little prevention goes a long way for when the weather gets too hot or too cold.
Batteries Don’t Count in ERCOT’s Fall SARA
The technology behind utility scale batteries is ever evolving and improving. Despite that, ERCOT doesn’t include the 2,623 MW of online battery storage resources toward the total generating power. ERCOT does not expect battery facilities to provide sustained capacity for meeting system peak loads. Maybe they will someday, but that day isn’t today. An additional 23 MW of battery storage should come online between September and November.
No one expects batteries to come in during peak demand. But they could factor into solving an emerging Texas power problem. Cryptocurrency miners are flocking to Texas, and their setups need a great deal of power. Perhaps batteries can meet this rising demand that solar and wind can’t satisfy. Only time will tell.
Texas Battery Project Rundown
The number of Texas battery storage facilities is staggering. ERCOT’s Fall SARA lists 78 facilities currently operational. Their installed capacity ranges from 1.5 MW on the low end to 102.4 MW at the Gambit Energy Storage Park in Brazoria County. At least 57 projects are scheduled for completion between now and 2025. The SARA does not list the capacities for these projects. Both groups – operational and anticipated – are scattered across the state geographically. And this makes sense. The more spread out battery facilities are, the quicker that stored power can reach customers when they need it.
Chill Out With Fixed Rate Power
Chilling weather signals a great time to get a fixed rate power plan. Shop for plans at https://www.texaselectricityratings.com before the weather goes from chilly to cold. That way, you’ll lock in some of the best prices of the year. You’ll keep warm with a cool rate.