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EIA reports summer peak-load records for PJM, ERCOT and Southwest Power Pool

PJM reached 162.6 GW, ERCOT 91.1 GW and Southwest Power Pool 58.0 GW. EIA cautions that its hourly reporting series can differ from operators' historical records.

By Greener Numbers Editorial Team · Published October 15, 2026 · Updated 10/15/2026

Three U.S. regional grid operators set summer peak-hour electricity-load records in 2026, the Energy Information Administration reported on October 15. The agency attributes most of the peaks to regional heat waves and higher cooling demand during what it describes as the hottest summer on record nationally.

PJM reached 162.6 gigawatts on July 2, up 1.3% from its pre-2026 peak. ERCOT reached 91.1 GW on July 22, up 6.5%. Southwest Power Pool reached 58.0 GW on July 27, up 3.5%. These are peak hourly loads, not annual electricity consumption or new generating capacity.

Other regions approached earlier highs without exceeding them in the comparison. California ISO reached 50.0 GW on September 9, compared with 51.1 GW in 2022. ISO New England reached 25.3 GW on July 2, compared with 25.9 GW in 2025.

The historical window matters. New York ISO reached 31.1 GW this summer, below 31.9 GW in the EIA series and below the operator's 34.0 GW record from 2013, before EIA collected hourly data. MISO reached 121.5 GW, the highest in EIA's monitor but below the operator's 127.1 GW record from 2011.

EIA uses balancing-authority submissions on Form EIA-930 and makes those data available as reported. The agency warns that reporting issues can limit quality and that figures published directly by grid operators may differ.

What to watch: distinguish the three new records from near-record loads elsewhere, and distinguish EIA's reporting history from each operator's longer history. This release documents summer operating demand; it does not establish a winter forecast or isolate demand growth from data centers or other individual industries.

Official source: U.S. Energy Information Administration ↗