ERCOT could face electricity shortages by 2014: report
Houston (Platts)
Texas faces potential electricity shortages as soon as 2014 as electricity usage in the state continues to hit new records, according to a new study released Tuesday by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas.
The newly revised Capacity, Demand and Reserves report shows a reserve margin — the excess of generation capacity over expected load under normal conditions — of 9.8 percent as soon as 2014, well below ERCOT’s 13.75 percent target. The 2014 outlook includes slightly more than 75,000 MW of power to serve an anticipated peak demand of 68,403 MW, according to the report. By 2015, projected reserves drop…