By Texas summer standards, the heat in August 2023 seemed relentless but not without precedent. A string of 100-plus-degree days gripped the state, and the sound of air conditioning was constant. The overseer of much of the state’s electricity grid, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), issued eight conservation appeals during the month, encouraging retail electricity customers to reduce use of air conditioning and large appliances. Some days it was barely enough. Output from solar and wind facilities was low while thermal energy sources (natural gas, coal and nuclear) struggled to keep up with ... (full story)