Does the Spring SARA Show Enough Power for Texas?
Each season, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) reviews the factors that could affect the Texas power grid. The Seasonal Assessment of Resource Adequacy (SARA) report shows how weather and power plant outages affect the Texas grid when customers use the most power. The most recent Spring SARA report says ERCOT has 94,394 MW to meet a peak energy demand of 64,729 MW. ERCOT also expects new wind, solar, and battery projects to add 1,027 MW. Plus, there’s another 367 MW that will come online from new gas-fired and wind-powered facilities. So, according to the SARA, Texas electricity providers should have no problem powering your home this spring.
Increases in Available Power
Last year’s big freeze showed many problems with the Texas grid. Since the last winter SARA, ERCOT has added more generation units and miles of transmission lines to its grid. In total, the installed capacity increased from 102,874 MW in winter 2020 to 118,257 MW in winter 2021. Texas also showed off its wind power by setting a new wind generation record in February 2022 of 25,408 MW.
Now, while all that seems comforting, it is important to note that the installed capacity is unreachable. It’s an idealized amount. That’s because power plants and power lines don’t work at 100 percent. The reason why is that heat can damage gas turbines. The sun also doesn’t always shine on solar panels. Nor does wind doesn’t always blow at wind farms and power lines lose some energy as heat across long distances. As a result, the operational capacity is always less than installed capacity.
Nonetheless, this is good news for two reasons. First, because Texas uses different ways to generate power, the grid doesn’t need to rely on just one energy source. So, more energy sources provides more reliability power. Second, having more power on the grid means prices will be much less likely to spike during high demand. So retail electricity providers can get a better chance to supply you with cheaper energy.
Shop Spring Electric Plans Now
Spring time electric rates are usually low but only for a short time. Since ERCOT expects its grid to reliably meet demand this spring, shopping for a cheap electricity plan is in order. But with summer heat and higher prices coming, these rates won’t last. So check prices at https://www.texaselectricityratings.com/electric-rates to see which plans offer the best deals. You can sign up now for a great plan that could save you money well beyond this spring.
