Statistics
Page built 2026-09-21
Data as of 2026-09-19
Search
Built 2026-09-21 (21 September 2026)

CAISO 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 CAISO averaged 32,356 MW and typically peaked at 17:00 local time (37,463 MW) and bottomed out at 04:00 (25,776 MW). With solar and wind taken off, the remaining load fell to 14,383 MW at 12:00 and then rose 14,507 MW between 16:00 to 19:00. 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 CAISO was 32,356 MW. The hour of the day with the highest average demand was 17:00 local time (37,463 MW) and the lowest was 04:00 (25,776 MW).
  • The largest three hour rise in average demand was 2,047 MW, between 14:00 to 17:00 local time.
  • The single highest hour of demand in the 30 day window was 49,959 MW, in the hour starting 9 Sept 2026, 17:00 PDT (UTC-07:00).
  • Solar output averaged 18,746 MW at its 11:00 peak, 58% of average demand.
  • Demand minus solar and wind (net load) averaged 22,112 MW, fell to 14,383 MW at 12:00 and rose 14,507 MW over the three hours from 16:00 to 19:00, 45% of average demand.

Average Day by Local Hour

29 days to 2026-09-19, America/Los_Angeles time
CAISO average demand and net generation by local hour Average electricity demand in CAISO by local clock hour over 29 complete local days from 22 August to 19 September 2026. It was lowest at 04:00 (25,776 MW) and highest at 17:00 (37,463 MW). Net generation is the power produced inside the grid, so it differs from demand by net imports. 0 10,000 20,000 30,000 40,000 00:0003:0006:0009:0012:0015:0018:0021:00
Average electricity demand in CAISO by local clock hour over 29 complete local days from 22 August to 19 September 2026. It was lowest at 04:00 (25,776 MW) and highest at 17:00 (37,463 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
CAISO average demand and net generation by local hour
Local hour (America/Los_Angeles)DemandNet generation
00:0028,944 MW21,168 MW
01:0027,532 MW19,412 MW
02:0026,522 MW18,063 MW
03:0026,057 MW17,146 MW
04:0025,776 MW17,078 MW
05:0026,015 MW17,721 MW
06:0026,915 MW19,383 MW
07:0028,817 MW20,731 MW
08:0032,713 MW21,901 MW
09:0034,453 MW21,969 MW
10:0034,837 MW22,258 MW
11:0035,152 MW22,855 MW
12:0035,104 MW24,158 MW
13:0035,131 MW25,977 MW
14:0035,416 MW27,964 MW
15:0036,128 MW29,974 MW
16:0037,017 MW31,028 MW
17:0037,463 MW31,537 MW
18:0037,232 MW31,025 MW
19:0036,430 MW29,973 MW
20:0035,696 MW29,080 MW
21:0034,484 MW27,855 MW
22:0032,351 MW24,741 MW
23:0030,367 MW22,288 MW
CAISO duck curve: demand and net load by local hour Average demand and net load (demand minus solar and wind) in CAISO by local clock hour over 29 complete local days from 22 August to 19 September 2026. Net load was lowest at 12:00 (14,383 MW) and then rose 14,507 MW between 16:00 to 19:00. 0 10,000 20,000 30,000 40,000 00:0003:0006:0009:0012:0015:0018:0021:00
Average demand and net load (demand minus solar and wind) in CAISO by local clock hour over 29 complete local days from 22 August to 19 September 2026. Net load was lowest at 12:00 (14,383 MW) and then rose 14,507 MW between 16:00 to 19:00.
Mean MW by local hour, 2026-08-22 to 2026-09-19
CAISO duck curve: demand and net load by local hour
Local hour (America/Los_Angeles)DemandNet load (demand minus solar and wind)
00:0028,944 MW25,582 MW
01:0027,532 MW24,120 MW
02:0026,522 MW23,204 MW
03:0026,057 MW22,826 MW
04:0025,776 MW22,660 MW
05:0026,015 MW23,093 MW
06:0026,915 MW23,869 MW
07:0028,817 MW20,209 MW
08:0032,713 MW16,425 MW
09:0034,453 MW15,515 MW
10:0034,837 MW14,781 MW
11:0035,152 MW14,566 MW
12:0035,104 MW14,383 MW
13:0035,131 MW14,439 MW
14:0035,416 MW14,974 MW
15:0036,128 MW16,221 MW
16:0037,017 MW18,302 MW
17:0037,463 MW22,760 MW
18:0037,232 MW30,597 MW
19:0036,430 MW32,809 MW
20:0035,696 MW32,220 MW
21:0034,484 MW31,116 MW
22:0032,351 MW29,005 MW
23:0030,367 MW27,007 MW
CAISO average solar and wind output by local hour Average solar and wind generation in CAISO by local clock hour over 29 complete local days from 22 August to 19 September 2026. Solar peaked at 11:00 at 18,746 MW. 0 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 00:0003:0006:0009:0012:0015:0018:0021:00
Average solar and wind generation in CAISO by local clock hour over 29 complete local days from 22 August to 19 September 2026. Solar peaked at 11:00 at 18,746 MW.
Mean MW by local hour, 2026-08-22 to 2026-09-19
CAISO average solar and wind output by local hour
Local hour (America/Los_Angeles)SolarWind
00:001 MW3,361 MW
01:001 MW3,411 MW
02:001 MW3,317 MW
03:001 MW3,229 MW
04:001 MW3,114 MW
05:001 MW2,920 MW
06:00371 MW2,675 MW
07:006,300 MW2,308 MW
08:0014,284 MW2,005 MW
09:0017,129 MW1,809 MW
10:0018,288 MW1,767 MW
11:0018,746 MW1,840 MW
12:0018,733 MW1,988 MW
13:0018,493 MW2,200 MW
14:0017,934 MW2,507 MW
15:0017,006 MW2,901 MW
16:0015,571 MW3,144 MW
17:0011,311 MW3,392 MW
18:003,173 MW3,462 MW
19:0065 MW3,557 MW
20:001 MW3,475 MW
21:001 MW3,367 MW
22:001 MW3,345 MW
23:001 MW3,359 MW
Average CAISO demand, net generation, solar, wind and net load by local hour
Local hourDemandNet generationSolarWindNet load
00:00 28,944 MW 21,168 MW 1 MW 3,361 MW 25,582 MW
01:00 27,532 MW 19,412 MW 1 MW 3,411 MW 24,120 MW
02:00 26,522 MW 18,063 MW 1 MW 3,317 MW 23,204 MW
03:00 26,057 MW 17,146 MW 1 MW 3,229 MW 22,826 MW
04:00 25,776 MW 17,078 MW 1 MW 3,114 MW 22,660 MW
05:00 26,015 MW 17,721 MW 1 MW 2,920 MW 23,093 MW
06:00 26,915 MW 19,383 MW 371 MW 2,675 MW 23,869 MW
07:00 28,817 MW 20,731 MW 6,300 MW 2,308 MW 20,209 MW
08:00 32,713 MW 21,901 MW 14,284 MW 2,005 MW 16,425 MW
09:00 34,453 MW 21,969 MW 17,129 MW 1,809 MW 15,515 MW
10:00 34,837 MW 22,258 MW 18,288 MW 1,767 MW 14,781 MW
11:00 35,152 MW 22,855 MW 18,746 MW 1,840 MW 14,566 MW
12:00 35,104 MW 24,158 MW 18,733 MW 1,988 MW 14,383 MW
13:00 35,131 MW 25,977 MW 18,493 MW 2,200 MW 14,439 MW
14:00 35,416 MW 27,964 MW 17,934 MW 2,507 MW 14,974 MW
15:00 36,128 MW 29,974 MW 17,006 MW 2,901 MW 16,221 MW
16:00 37,017 MW 31,028 MW 15,571 MW 3,144 MW 18,302 MW
17:00 37,463 MW 31,537 MW 11,311 MW 3,392 MW 22,760 MW
18:00 37,232 MW 31,025 MW 3,173 MW 3,462 MW 30,597 MW
19:00 36,430 MW 29,973 MW 65 MW 3,557 MW 32,809 MW
20:00 35,696 MW 29,080 MW 1 MW 3,475 MW 32,220 MW
21:00 34,484 MW 27,855 MW 1 MW 3,367 MW 31,116 MW
22:00 32,351 MW 24,741 MW 1 MW 3,345 MW 29,005 MW
23:00 30,367 MW 22,288 MW 1 MW 3,359 MW 27,007 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 49,959 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.