Soaring Texas Temperatures Are Set to Boost Energy Demand

May 4, 2022

(Bloomberg) Texas’s power-grid manager warned that demand will jump over the weekend as customers turn to air conditioners to get relief from searing heat.The Electric Reliability Council of Texas said there could be “larger-than-normal demand for power,” but the state’s grid should produce enough to meet demand. The entire region will likely wilt under temperatures that could feel like they are in the 100s of degrees Fahrenheit in many areas.

“They may not get any relief for days and days and days,” said Dave Roth, a senior branch forecaster with the U.S. Weather Prediction Center. “This weekend is horrible, not that it is going to be all that better next week.”

Extreme weather has been putting more pressure on electricity grids — particularly in Texas and California — in recent years, which in turn has led to economic and political fallout. Both states have experienced power outages and shortages brought on by unusual cold or heat.

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Temperatures will soar across Texas, reaching 94 degrees Fahrenheit (34 Celsius) in Dallas by Saturday, while Austin will touch 99 degrees Fahrenheit on Sunday, according to the National Weather Service. The heat will be at similar levels in the southern city of Laredo and in Houston over the weekend.

In many places, temperatures will feel even hotter than what’s on the thermometer. The heat will also spill over into New Mexico as well, Roth said.

Normally at this time of year, a weather front would push through to ease the high temperatures and bring some mild air, but there’s little chance of that for the next few days, he said.