ERCOT Weekly 4-May-2026
Not as warm this week and strong renewables.
Weekly Average Load
This week’s system average power load expectation is 51.53 GW (ending Friday 08-May at 1548.63 UT) compared to 57.03 GW last week with an expectation from last week of 57.74 GW.
Generation
The weekly table containing weekly average power and generation is here. The net storage numbers which are currently included in the “Other” category.
Last week coal dispatch came in at 6.69 GW versus our estimate of 5.83 GW. This week the expectation is again low at 5.25 GW. Our coal estimates generally creep up over the week as the actual data is incorporated.
This week, our estimate for natural gas fueled power generation is 17.87 GW (ending 08-May). Natural gas power generation last week was 25.00 GW with expectation this time last week of 22.75 GW. Gas for generation is in the middle portion of the 5-year band for this week.
Nuclear generation was 4.97 GW last week—near full strength. Current projection for this week is 4.14 GW due to South Texas 1 now back from refueling but Comanche Peak 2 appears to have headed into refueling.
Wind production last week was 12.02 GW (ending 01-May 15 UT), in the middle part of the 5-year band and below last week’s expectation of 14.23 GW. This week, the expectation is higher at 13.72 GW (ending 08-May 15 UT)—in the middle part of the 5-year band.
Solar production over a weekly average was 8.21 GW last week (ending 01-May 15UT), a new weekly average, and below last week’s expectation of 9.29 GW. The 24-hour averaged solar electric production is estimated to be 9.92 GW for the current week.
Storage plays remained mainly robust last week with the evening dispatches strong.
Here is the hourly storage dispatch from the last week. (No new records.) The record is 10,372 MW from Friday 13-Mar-2026.
Load Growth
Zonal year-on-year load growth. North and West Zones are currently the faster growers. The Far West Zone is taking a break.
Real-Time Prices
Free power has made a comeback this past week, and the current week is strong in renewables, so generally expect cheap power.
