Jan. 10, 2013, AUSTIN, TX -- Electric use in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) region decreased 2.7 percent in 2012 compared to consumption in 2011, which included the state’s hottest summer on record.

This information, along with other information about power use, fuel mix and demand, are included in the 2012 Demand and Energy Report released today by ERCOT, the grid operator and manager of the electric market for most of Texas.

As the population and the economy continue to grow, overall energy use and the demand for electricity have been growing by an average of about 2 percent a year in recent years. In 2011, record breaking weather conditions contributed to a nearly 5 percent overall increase in energy use, with about 334,000 gigawatt-hours (GWh), used.

With milder weather in 2012, ERCOT’s overall energy use declined from the previous year’s record to 324,859 GWh, with decreases in six of the 12 months. Although peak demand on the hottest days of summer 2012 actually hit monthly records in three of the four summer months (June through September), overall energy use was down throughout the summer and in January and February. Overall energy use in 2012 was nearly 3 percent higher than 2010.

Generation mix changes

Natural gas was the fuel used to generate nearly 45 percent of the energy provided, up from about 40 percent in 2011. Wind power generation increased slightly to just over 9 percent, compared to 8.5 percent the previous year.

Coal use in ERCOT’s overall energy mix for 2012 declined by more than 5 percent, and nuclear held steady at just under 12 percent.

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