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: 2026-06-07 (updated daily after DAM clears)
Quick Stats
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Day-Ahead Peak | $41.52/MWh |
| Day-Ahead Average | $25.20/MWh |
| Real-Time Latest | $-0.27/MWh |
| Top Hub | HB_HOUSTON |
| Top AS Product | NSPIN |
| 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_HOUSTON | Hub | $29.03 | $37.15 | $18.93 |
| HB_NORTH | Hub | $26.95 | $37.93 | $18.49 |
| HB_BUSAVG | Hub | $25.84 | $36.39 | $16.74 |
| HB_SOUTH | Hub | $25.75 | $36.11 | $17.03 |
| HB_HUBAVG | Hub | $24.81 | $35.14 | $14.99 |
| HB_WEST | Hub | $17.51 | $36.29 | $2.50 |
| HB_PAN | Hub | $16.38 | $34.27 | $3.27 |
| LZ_HOUSTON | Zone | $29.28 | $37.14 | $18.95 |
| LZ_RAYBN | Zone | $28.03 | $40.94 | $18.87 |
| LZ_NORTH | Zone | $27.70 | $39.37 | $18.82 |
| LZ_AEN | Zone | $27.07 | $36.78 | $18.09 |
| LZ_LCRA | Zone | $27.01 | $37.22 | $18.24 |
| LZ_CPS | Zone | $26.24 | $36.31 | $17.56 |
| LZ_SOUTH | Zone | $26.01 | $36.46 | $17.41 |
| LZ_WEST | Zone | $20.33 | $41.52 | $2.23 |
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_LCRA | Zone | $28.11 |
| LZ_AEN | Zone | $25.95 |
| LZ_CPS | Zone | $25.70 |
| HB_SOUTH | Hub | $23.71 |
| LZ_HOUSTON | Zone | $23.29 |
| LZ_SOUTH | Zone | $23.28 |
| HB_HOUSTON | Hub | $22.87 |
| HB_BUSAVG | Hub | $16.45 |
| HB_HUBAVG | Hub | $16.00 |
| LZ_NORTH | Zone | $15.45 |
| HB_NORTH | Hub | $14.97 |
| LZ_RAYBN | Zone | $14.73 |
| HB_PAN | Hub | $6.27 |
| HB_WEST | Hub | $2.44 |
| LZ_WEST | Zone | $-0.27 |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| NSPIN | $2.13 | $2.13 |
| REGDN | $1.07 | $1.07 |
| REGUP | $0.78 | $0.78 |
| ECRS | $0.48 | $0.48 |
| RRS | $0.31 | $0.31 |
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.