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Data as of 2026-09-19
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Built 2026-09-21 (21 September 2026)

BPA Daily Load Shape and Duck Curve by Hour, 22 August to 19 September 2026

In the 29 complete local days from 22 August to 19 September 2026, electricity demand in BPA averaged 6,721 MW and typically peaked at 17:00 local time (7,516 MW) and bottomed out at 03:00 (5,765 MW). With solar and wind taken off, the remaining load fell to 5,025 MW at 03:00 and then rose 419 MW between 14:00 to 17:00. Hours are local clock time (America/Los_Angeles).

Key Facts

  • Over 29 complete local days from 22 August to 19 September 2026, average demand in BPA was 6,721 MW. The hour of the day with the highest average demand was 17:00 local time (7,516 MW) and the lowest was 03:00 (5,765 MW).
  • The largest three hour rise in average demand was 344 MW, between 14:00 to 17:00 local time.
  • The single highest hour of demand in the 30 day window was 9,118 MW, in the hour starting 25 Aug 2026, 17:00 PDT (UTC-07:00).
  • Solar output averaged 355 MW at its 11:00 peak, 5% of average demand.
  • Demand minus solar and wind (net load) averaged 5,882 MW, fell to 5,025 MW at 03:00 and rose 419 MW over the three hours from 14:00 to 17:00, 6% of average demand.

Average Day by Local Hour

29 days to 2026-09-19, America/Los_Angeles time
BPA average demand and net generation by local hour Average electricity demand in BPA by local clock hour over 29 complete local days from 22 August to 19 September 2026. It was lowest at 03:00 (5,765 MW) and highest at 17:00 (7,516 MW). Net generation is the power produced inside the grid, so it differs from demand by net imports. 0 2,500 5,000 7,500 10,000 00:0003:0006:0009:0012:0015:0018:0021:00
Average electricity demand in BPA by local clock hour over 29 complete local days from 22 August to 19 September 2026. It was lowest at 03:00 (5,765 MW) and highest at 17:00 (7,516 MW). Net generation is the power produced inside the grid, so it differs from demand by net imports.
Mean MW by local hour, 2026-08-22 to 2026-09-19
BPA average demand and net generation by local hour
Local hour (America/Los_Angeles)DemandNet generation
00:006,071 MW7,180 MW
01:005,900 MW6,873 MW
02:005,797 MW6,662 MW
03:005,765 MW6,599 MW
04:005,821 MW6,661 MW
05:006,047 MW6,977 MW
06:006,351 MW7,200 MW
07:006,580 MW7,306 MW
08:006,703 MW7,395 MW
09:006,716 MW7,392 MW
10:006,900 MW7,546 MW
11:006,967 MW7,628 MW
12:007,041 MW7,710 MW
13:007,109 MW7,827 MW
14:007,172 MW8,024 MW
15:007,271 MW8,192 MW
16:007,403 MW8,822 MW
17:007,516 MW9,271 MW
18:007,508 MW9,357 MW
19:007,426 MW9,160 MW
20:007,314 MW8,916 MW
21:006,998 MW8,452 MW
22:006,624 MW7,892 MW
23:006,293 MW7,480 MW
BPA duck curve: demand and net load by local hour Average demand and net load (demand minus solar and wind) in BPA by local clock hour over 29 complete local days from 22 August to 19 September 2026. Net load was lowest at 03:00 (5,025 MW) and then rose 419 MW between 14:00 to 17:00. 0 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 00:0003:0006:0009:0012:0015:0018:0021:00
Average demand and net load (demand minus solar and wind) in BPA by local clock hour over 29 complete local days from 22 August to 19 September 2026. Net load was lowest at 03:00 (5,025 MW) and then rose 419 MW between 14:00 to 17:00.
Mean MW by local hour, 2026-08-22 to 2026-09-19
BPA duck curve: demand and net load by local hour
Local hour (America/Los_Angeles)DemandNet load (demand minus solar and wind)
00:006,071 MW5,348 MW
01:005,900 MW5,161 MW
02:005,797 MW5,060 MW
03:005,765 MW5,025 MW
04:005,821 MW5,101 MW
05:006,047 MW5,340 MW
06:006,351 MW5,646 MW
07:006,580 MW5,790 MW
08:006,703 MW5,773 MW
09:006,716 MW5,697 MW
10:006,900 MW5,885 MW
11:006,967 MW5,968 MW
12:007,041 MW6,061 MW
13:007,109 MW6,126 MW
14:007,172 MW6,189 MW
15:007,271 MW6,333 MW
16:007,403 MW6,472 MW
17:007,516 MW6,608 MW
18:007,508 MW6,693 MW
19:007,426 MW6,662 MW
20:007,314 MW6,519 MW
21:006,998 MW6,233 MW
22:006,624 MW5,899 MW
23:006,293 MW5,568 MW
BPA average solar and wind output by local hour Average solar and wind generation in BPA by local clock hour over 29 complete local days from 22 August to 19 September 2026. Solar peaked at 11:00 at 355 MW. 0 200 400 600 800 00:0003:0006:0009:0012:0015:0018:0021:00
Average solar and wind generation in BPA by local clock hour over 29 complete local days from 22 August to 19 September 2026. Solar peaked at 11:00 at 355 MW.
Mean MW by local hour, 2026-08-22 to 2026-09-19
BPA average solar and wind output by local hour
Local hour (America/Los_Angeles)SolarWind
00:000 MW722 MW
01:000 MW739 MW
02:000 MW737 MW
03:000 MW740 MW
04:000 MW720 MW
05:000 MW707 MW
06:005 MW701 MW
07:00107 MW683 MW
08:00278 MW653 MW
09:00332 MW687 MW
10:00345 MW670 MW
11:00355 MW644 MW
12:00355 MW625 MW
13:00348 MW634 MW
14:00341 MW642 MW
15:00318 MW620 MW
16:00298 MW633 MW
17:00246 MW662 MW
18:00116 MW699 MW
19:0024 MW740 MW
20:0013 MW782 MW
21:003 MW762 MW
22:002 MW723 MW
23:002 MW724 MW
Average BPA demand, net generation, solar, wind and net load by local hour
Local hourDemandNet generationSolarWindNet load
00:00 6,071 MW 7,180 MW 0 MW 722 MW 5,348 MW
01:00 5,900 MW 6,873 MW 0 MW 739 MW 5,161 MW
02:00 5,797 MW 6,662 MW 0 MW 737 MW 5,060 MW
03:00 5,765 MW 6,599 MW 0 MW 740 MW 5,025 MW
04:00 5,821 MW 6,661 MW 0 MW 720 MW 5,101 MW
05:00 6,047 MW 6,977 MW 0 MW 707 MW 5,340 MW
06:00 6,351 MW 7,200 MW 5 MW 701 MW 5,646 MW
07:00 6,580 MW 7,306 MW 107 MW 683 MW 5,790 MW
08:00 6,703 MW 7,395 MW 278 MW 653 MW 5,773 MW
09:00 6,716 MW 7,392 MW 332 MW 687 MW 5,697 MW
10:00 6,900 MW 7,546 MW 345 MW 670 MW 5,885 MW
11:00 6,967 MW 7,628 MW 355 MW 644 MW 5,968 MW
12:00 7,041 MW 7,710 MW 355 MW 625 MW 6,061 MW
13:00 7,109 MW 7,827 MW 348 MW 634 MW 6,126 MW
14:00 7,172 MW 8,024 MW 341 MW 642 MW 6,189 MW
15:00 7,271 MW 8,192 MW 318 MW 620 MW 6,333 MW
16:00 7,403 MW 8,822 MW 298 MW 633 MW 6,472 MW
17:00 7,516 MW 9,271 MW 246 MW 662 MW 6,608 MW
18:00 7,508 MW 9,357 MW 116 MW 699 MW 6,693 MW
19:00 7,426 MW 9,160 MW 24 MW 740 MW 6,662 MW
20:00 7,314 MW 8,916 MW 13 MW 782 MW 6,519 MW
21:00 6,998 MW 8,452 MW 3 MW 762 MW 6,233 MW
22:00 6,624 MW 7,892 MW 2 MW 723 MW 5,899 MW
23:00 6,293 MW 7,480 MW 2 MW 724 MW 5,568 MW

Each value is the mean over 29 complete local days from 22 August to 19 September 2026, weekdays and weekends together, for the hour starting at that local clock time. Net load is demand minus solar and wind generation. The single highest hour of demand in the whole 30 day window was 9,118 MW; it is a published reading, not an average, and is not part of the profile above.

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). (US Government work, public domain) Data as of 2026-09-19. Profiles are computed by World Power Monitor from the operator's hourly series.

Assumptions

  • Hours are local clock time in America/Los_Angeles. A local day is used only if it is whole inside the 30 day window and at least 22 of its hours are complete; the profile uses the 29 most recent such days. Daylight saving follows the local clock: on a clock change day the missing hour is absent and the repeated hour is averaged over both readings.
  • The average mixes weekdays and weekends and covers only 29 days, so it describes recent conditions, not a seasonal norm.
  • The evening ramp is the largest rise over three hours in the average profile, starting between 14:00 and 20:00 local time.