PJM, ERCOT and SPP Set Summer 2026 Peak Records at 162.6 GW, 91.1 GW and 58.0 GW, EIA Data Show
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Marin Holt
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- PJM summer 2026 peak: 162.6 GW (July 2)
- ERCOT summer 2026 peak: 91.1 GW, 6.5% above its prior record
- SWPP summer 2026 peak: 58.0 GW (July 27)
- ERCOT's own peak figure: 91,134 MW (unofficial)
Three US grid operators set peak hourly load records in summer 2026, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported on Oct. 15, 2026. PJM peaked at 162.6 GW, ERCOT at 91.1 GW and the Southwest Power Pool (SWPP) at 58.0 GW. The figures come from Form EIA-930 data in the EIA Hourly Electric Grid Monitor.
The Three Records
PJM hit its peak on July 2, 2026. That was 1.3% above its pre-2026 peak of 160.6 GW on June 23, 2025.
ERCOT peaked on July 22, 2026, at 6.5% above its pre-2026 record of 85.5 GW. ERCOT’s own July report puts the new peak at 91,134 MW at hour ending 18. It calls the figure an unofficial all-time record.
SWPP peaked on July 27, 2026. That was 3.5% above its pre-2026 peak of 56.0 GW on Aug. 21, 2023.
Why It Matters
The size of each jump differs a lot. ERCOT beat its old record by 6.5%. PJM beat its old record by 1.3%. In its July report, ERCOT said the new peak ran 9,400 MW above the July 2025 peak of 81,734 MW.
EIA tied most of the peaks to regional heat waves. It said the nation had its hottest summer on record, which drove up cooling demand. Resource adequacy studies and large-load interconnection fights both start from peak numbers like these. A record set in a record-hot summer is a weak base for a long-term forecast on its own.
What the Data Does Not Show
EIA says balancing authorities report Form EIA-930 data “as-is.” It notes that data the authorities publish directly do not always match. The ERCOT case shows the gap. EIA dates the prior ERCOT record to Aug. 20, 2024. ERCOT’s own report puts the prior record at 85,508 MW on Aug. 10, 2023.
Four other operators came close without a record. CAISO reached 50.0 GW on Sept. 9, against its 51.1 GW record from 2022. ISO-NE reached 25.3 GW and NYISO 31.1 GW, both on July 2. MISO peaked at 121.5 GW on June 30, below its 127.1 GW peak from 2011.
The EIA data also do not split weather from load growth. The report gives no estimate of how much new data center or industrial demand sat inside these peaks.
Critical Perspective
PJM’s new record of 162.6 GW beat its old peak by only 1.3%. That thin margin raises a question about what the meters measured. The record fell on July 2. Two DOE emergency orders under the Federal Power Act were in force from June 30 to July 3. Those orders let PJM move data centers of 50 MW or more onto backup generators, MGRID reported. If PJM used that power on July 2, how much demand never showed up in the 162.6 GW figure?
Sources
- U.S. Energy Information Administration: PJM, ERCOT, and SWPP all set peak load records this summer (2026-10-15)
- ERCOT: ERCOT Monthly Operational Overview (July 2026) (2026-08-17)
