The market, right now
ERCOT prices, live
Real-time settlement point prices for the eight ERCOT load zones, straight from the market, updated as each 15-minute interval settles. High prices and peak risk travel together. When this table runs hot on a summer afternoon, the dashboard usually says why.
Load-zone prices right now
8:30 PM CT interval · avg $48.38| Load zone | Price ($/MWh) | Interval start (CT) |
|---|---|---|
| LCRA LZ_LCRA | $49.82 | 8:30 PM CT |
| Rayburn LZ_RAYBN | $49.49 | 8:30 PM CT |
| North (DFW) LZ_NORTH | $49.40 | 8:30 PM CT |
| West LZ_WEST | $49.08 | 8:30 PM CT |
| AEN (Austin Energy) LZ_AEN | $48.85 | 8:30 PM CT |
| Houston LZ_HOUSTON | $47.77 | 8:30 PM CT |
| CPS (San Antonio) LZ_CPS | $47.30 | 8:30 PM CT |
| South LZ_SOUTH | $45.36 | 8:30 PM CT |
What prices are these?
Real-time market settlement point prices (SPPs) for ERCOT's eight load zones, in dollars per megawatt-hour, at 15-minute settlement intervals. This is what load actually settles against in the real-time market, not a retail rate.
Why do the zones differ?
Transmission congestion. When the lines between regions run full, cheap power can't reach the expensive side, and zone prices separate. West Texas often clears lower than Houston for exactly this reason.
Can ERCOT prices really go negative, or hit $5,000?
Both. Negative prices happen in windy overnight hours when generation exceeds what the lines can carry. And because ERCOT is an energy-only market, scarcity pricing can push the real-time price into the thousands when reserves get thin. The system-wide cap is $5,000/MWh.
What's the difference between real-time and day-ahead prices?
The day-ahead market clears once a day, hourly, based on forecasts. The real-time market settles every 15 minutes based on what actually happens. Most volume clears day-ahead. The drama happens in real time.