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

ERCOT 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 ERCOT averaged 72,083 MW and typically peaked at 16:00 local time (86,350 MW) and bottomed out at 04:00 (58,753 MW). With solar and wind taken off, the remaining load fell to 31,087 MW at 09:00 and then rose 15,366 MW between 16:00 to 19:00. Hours are local clock time (America/Chicago).

Key Facts

  • Over 29 complete local days from 22 August to 19 September 2026, average demand in ERCOT was 72,083 MW. The hour of the day with the highest average demand was 16:00 local time (86,350 MW) and the lowest was 04:00 (58,753 MW).
  • The largest three hour rise in average demand was 1,024 MW, between 14:00 to 17:00 local time.
  • The single highest hour of demand in the 30 day window was 90,741 MW, in the hour starting 24 Aug 2026, 17:00 CDT (UTC-05:00).
  • Solar output averaged 31,262 MW at its 11:00 peak, 43% of average demand.
  • Demand minus solar and wind (net load) averaged 47,774 MW, fell to 31,087 MW at 09:00 and rose 15,366 MW over the three hours from 16:00 to 19:00, 21% of average demand.

Average Day by Local Hour

29 days to 2026-09-19, America/Chicago time
ERCOT average demand and net generation by local hour Average electricity demand in ERCOT by local clock hour over 29 complete local days from 22 August to 19 September 2026. It was lowest at 04:00 (58,753 MW) and highest at 16:00 (86,350 MW). Net generation is the power produced inside the grid, so it differs from demand by net imports. 0 25,000 50,000 75,000 100,000 00:0003:0006:0009:0012:0015:0018:0021:00
Average electricity demand in ERCOT by local clock hour over 29 complete local days from 22 August to 19 September 2026. It was lowest at 04:00 (58,753 MW) and highest at 16:00 (86,350 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
ERCOT average demand and net generation by local hour
Local hour (America/Chicago)DemandNet generation
00:0065,832 MW65,699 MW
01:0063,056 MW62,787 MW
02:0060,908 MW60,585 MW
03:0059,439 MW59,078 MW
04:0058,753 MW58,336 MW
05:0059,032 MW58,579 MW
06:0059,899 MW59,496 MW
07:0059,910 MW59,564 MW
08:0061,989 MW61,879 MW
09:0066,000 MW66,087 MW
10:0070,487 MW70,689 MW
11:0075,075 MW75,344 MW
12:0079,312 MW79,645 MW
13:0082,775 MW83,191 MW
14:0084,914 MW85,357 MW
15:0085,940 MW86,349 MW
16:0086,350 MW86,680 MW
17:0085,937 MW86,203 MW
18:0084,474 MW84,511 MW
19:0081,933 MW81,821 MW
20:0079,526 MW79,184 MW
21:0076,493 MW76,106 MW
22:0072,851 MW72,520 MW
23:0069,118 MW68,877 MW
ERCOT duck curve: demand and net load by local hour Average demand and net load (demand minus solar and wind) in ERCOT by local clock hour over 29 complete local days from 22 August to 19 September 2026. Net load was lowest at 09:00 (31,087 MW) and then rose 15,366 MW between 16:00 to 19:00. 0 25,000 50,000 75,000 100,000 00:0003:0006:0009:0012:0015:0018:0021:00
Average demand and net load (demand minus solar and wind) in ERCOT by local clock hour over 29 complete local days from 22 August to 19 September 2026. Net load was lowest at 09:00 (31,087 MW) and then rose 15,366 MW between 16:00 to 19:00.
Mean MW by local hour, 2026-08-22 to 2026-09-19
ERCOT duck curve: demand and net load by local hour
Local hour (America/Chicago)DemandNet load (demand minus solar and wind)
00:0065,832 MW47,494 MW
01:0063,056 MW45,384 MW
02:0060,908 MW44,218 MW
03:0059,439 MW43,943 MW
04:0058,753 MW44,524 MW
05:0059,032 MW46,075 MW
06:0059,899 MW48,052 MW
07:0059,910 MW47,453 MW
08:0061,989 MW38,485 MW
09:0066,000 MW31,087 MW
10:0070,487 MW32,230 MW
11:0075,075 MW36,643 MW
12:0079,312 MW41,800 MW
13:0082,775 MW45,871 MW
14:0084,914 MW48,072 MW
15:0085,940 MW49,374 MW
16:0086,350 MW50,510 MW
17:0085,937 MW51,879 MW
18:0084,474 MW57,868 MW
19:0081,933 MW65,876 MW
20:0079,526 MW64,853 MW
21:0076,493 MW59,656 MW
22:0072,851 MW54,678 MW
23:0069,118 MW50,553 MW
ERCOT average solar and wind output by local hour Average solar and wind generation in ERCOT by local clock hour over 29 complete local days from 22 August to 19 September 2026. Solar peaked at 11:00 at 31,262 MW. 0 10,000 20,000 30,000 40,000 00:0003:0006:0009:0012:0015:0018:0021:00
Average solar and wind generation in ERCOT by local clock hour over 29 complete local days from 22 August to 19 September 2026. Solar peaked at 11:00 at 31,262 MW.
Mean MW by local hour, 2026-08-22 to 2026-09-19
ERCOT average solar and wind output by local hour
Local hour (America/Chicago)SolarWind
00:000 MW18,338 MW
01:000 MW17,672 MW
02:000 MW16,690 MW
03:000 MW15,496 MW
04:000 MW14,229 MW
05:000 MW12,957 MW
06:001 MW11,846 MW
07:001,671 MW10,786 MW
08:0014,998 MW8,507 MW
09:0026,819 MW8,094 MW
10:0030,193 MW8,064 MW
11:0031,262 MW7,169 MW
12:0031,156 MW6,356 MW
13:0030,541 MW6,363 MW
14:0029,879 MW6,963 MW
15:0028,838 MW7,728 MW
16:0027,164 MW8,676 MW
17:0023,970 MW10,088 MW
18:0014,706 MW11,900 MW
19:002,678 MW13,380 MW
20:0014 MW14,659 MW
21:001 MW16,836 MW
22:000 MW18,172 MW
23:000 MW18,565 MW
Average ERCOT demand, net generation, solar, wind and net load by local hour
Local hourDemandNet generationSolarWindNet load
00:00 65,832 MW 65,699 MW 0 MW 18,338 MW 47,494 MW
01:00 63,056 MW 62,787 MW 0 MW 17,672 MW 45,384 MW
02:00 60,908 MW 60,585 MW 0 MW 16,690 MW 44,218 MW
03:00 59,439 MW 59,078 MW 0 MW 15,496 MW 43,943 MW
04:00 58,753 MW 58,336 MW 0 MW 14,229 MW 44,524 MW
05:00 59,032 MW 58,579 MW 0 MW 12,957 MW 46,075 MW
06:00 59,899 MW 59,496 MW 1 MW 11,846 MW 48,052 MW
07:00 59,910 MW 59,564 MW 1,671 MW 10,786 MW 47,453 MW
08:00 61,989 MW 61,879 MW 14,998 MW 8,507 MW 38,485 MW
09:00 66,000 MW 66,087 MW 26,819 MW 8,094 MW 31,087 MW
10:00 70,487 MW 70,689 MW 30,193 MW 8,064 MW 32,230 MW
11:00 75,075 MW 75,344 MW 31,262 MW 7,169 MW 36,643 MW
12:00 79,312 MW 79,645 MW 31,156 MW 6,356 MW 41,800 MW
13:00 82,775 MW 83,191 MW 30,541 MW 6,363 MW 45,871 MW
14:00 84,914 MW 85,357 MW 29,879 MW 6,963 MW 48,072 MW
15:00 85,940 MW 86,349 MW 28,838 MW 7,728 MW 49,374 MW
16:00 86,350 MW 86,680 MW 27,164 MW 8,676 MW 50,510 MW
17:00 85,937 MW 86,203 MW 23,970 MW 10,088 MW 51,879 MW
18:00 84,474 MW 84,511 MW 14,706 MW 11,900 MW 57,868 MW
19:00 81,933 MW 81,821 MW 2,678 MW 13,380 MW 65,876 MW
20:00 79,526 MW 79,184 MW 14 MW 14,659 MW 64,853 MW
21:00 76,493 MW 76,106 MW 1 MW 16,836 MW 59,656 MW
22:00 72,851 MW 72,520 MW 0 MW 18,172 MW 54,678 MW
23:00 69,118 MW 68,877 MW 0 MW 18,565 MW 50,553 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 90,741 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/Chicago. 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.