Wind energy generation records fall in Texas, Colorado, Pacific Northwest

Three more wind electricity generation records were notched recently, in Texas, Colorado, and the Pacific Northwest, as the increased generating capacity installed last year continues to make its presence felt.

On February 9, a strong weekend cold front that brought needed rain to much of Texas also propelled the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), which operates the utility system serving most of the state, to a new wind power record, with wind generation providing 9,481 MW of power at 7:08 p.m. Under typical conditions, one MW of electricity can power approximately 800 average American homes.

The wind generation provided nearly 28 percent of the electricity demand in ERCOT at the time and easily surpassed–by 814 MW, or nearly 10 percent–the previous record of 8,667 MW set on January 29 by 814 MW.
Of the total, according to ERCOT:

7,205 megawatts (MW) came from West Texas.

1,620 MW came from the Texas Gulf Coast.

431 MW came from North Texas.

225 MW came from South Texas.
“As wind generation capacity continues to be added in ERCOT and additional transmission lines are being completed to accommodate that generation, we continue to set new records,” said Kent Saathoff, ERCOT