ERCOT operates the Texas electric grid serving 26 million customers and ~90% of Texas load. This page consolidates Day-Ahead, Real-Time, and Ancillary Services prices for energy traders, battery operators, and industrial load managers.
Data freshness: 2026-01-22 (updated daily after DAM clears)
Quick Stats
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Day-Ahead Peak | $95.77/MWh |
| Day-Ahead Average | $46.82/MWh |
| Real-Time Latest | $102.55/MWh |
| Top Hub | HB_WEST |
| Top AS Product | ECRS |
| Data Source | ERCOT MIS |
Day-Ahead Settlement Point Prices (DAM SPP)
Day-ahead prices are determined through the DAM clearing process, typically published by 1:30 PM CT for the following operating day. Prices shown are hourly averages by settlement point.
| Location | Type | Avg Price | Peak | Low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HB_WEST | Hub | $55.64 | $95.67 | $35.67 |
| HB_SOUTH | Hub | $47.86 | $82.11 | $29.33 |
| HB_BUSAVG | Hub | $46.19 | $78.92 | $28.45 |
| HB_HOUSTON | Hub | $45.40 | $77.45 | $27.82 |
| HB_NORTH | Hub | $43.74 | $75.23 | $26.15 |
| LZ_WEST | Zone | $55.69 | $95.77 | $35.57 |
| LZ_SOUTH | Zone | $47.96 | $82.21 | $29.43 |
| LZ_HOUSTON | Zone | $45.50 | $77.55 | $27.92 |
| LZ_NORTH | Zone | $43.84 | $75.33 | $26.25 |
Hub vs Zone: Hubs (HB_) are aggregated trading points. Load Zones (LZ_) represent physical grid regions. HB_BUSAVG is the system-wide bus average.
Real-Time Settlement Point Prices (RT SPP)
Real-time prices update every 5-15 minutes based on actual grid conditions. These prices settle imbalances between day-ahead commitments and real-time delivery.
| Location | Type | RT Price |
|---|---|---|
| LZ_WEST | Zone | $102.55 |
| HB_WEST | Hub | $102.45 |
| LZ_SOUTH | Zone | $85.33 |
| HB_SOUTH | Hub | $85.23 |
| HB_BUSAVG | Hub | $82.34 |
| LZ_HOUSTON | Zone | $80.22 |
| HB_HOUSTON | Hub | $80.12 |
| LZ_NORTH | Zone | $78.66 |
| HB_NORTH | Hub | $78.56 |
DA vs RT Spread: When RT > DA, generators profit from selling more real-time. When RT < DA, buyers benefit from purchasing day-ahead.
Ancillary Services Prices (DAM MCPC)
Ancillary services maintain grid reliability and are co-optimized with energy in the DAM. Prices shown are Market Clearing Price for Capacity (MCPC).
| Product | Avg Price | Peak |
|---|---|---|
| ECRS | $29.80 | $56.78 |
| RRS | $26.75 | $52.34 |
| Reg Up | $22.64 | $45.67 |
| Reg Down | $12.79 | $24.12 |
| Non-Spin | $7.76 | $14.89 |
Key Products:
- Reg Up/Down - Frequency regulation (fastest response)
- RRS - Responsive Reserve Service (10-minute response)
- Non-Spin - Non-Spinning Reserve (30-minute response)
- ECRS - Contingency reserves for large outages
Use Cases
Energy Traders
- Monitor DA vs RT spreads for arbitrage opportunities
- Identify price volatility by hub/zone
- Track AS prices for revenue stacking
Battery Storage Operators
- Optimize charge/discharge schedules around price peaks
- Evaluate AS revenue potential vs energy arbitrage
- Assess location value (hub premium)
Industrial Load Managers
- Schedule flexible loads around low-price hours
- Evaluate curtailment economics during price spikes
- Compare zonal prices for facility siting
Methodology
Data is fetched from ERCOT via the gridstatus open-source library. This page updates daily after the Day-Ahead Market clears (~1:30 PM CT).
Data sources:
- Day-Ahead SPP: ERCOT Report NP4-190-CD
- Real-Time SPP: ERCOT Report NP6-905-CD
- Ancillary Services: ERCOT Report NP4-188-CD
For raw data access, see ERCOT's Data Access Portal.
OpenNash consulting for energy markets: We build price monitoring dashboards, automated trading signals, and battery dispatch optimization. See AI consulting.