Power grid again reaches record demand

The dog-day heat wave has sent power demands to new records, the Austin American- Statesman reported. With much of the state enduring an excessive heat warning, power demand peaked at 85,559 megawatts last week, breaking a record set last August.

While searing outside temperatures certainly boost demand, other factors are in play as well — the state’s growing population and increased expansion by large-scale industrial users such as data centers and cryptocurrency miners.

Texas is the only state that operates its own power grid. In June, the Electricity Reliability Council of Texas predicted the grid would face challenges this month and increased likelihood for emergency alerts during peak times of the day.