Reuters Daily power consumption in Texas set a record for the month of May on Sunday, the state grid operator said, for the fourth time this month, as homes and businesses fire up air conditioners to escape a heat wave.

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas ERCOT, which operates most of the state39;s power grid for 27 million customers, said power demand soared to a preliminary 73,756 megawatts MW late on Sunday, which would top the former high for the month of May of 73,749 MW set on Saturday.

Analysts expect electricity consumption will top its alltime high this summer amid economic and population growth in Texas and rising demand for power from data centers, artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency mining. The grid39;s alltime peak was 85,508 MW on Aug. 10, 2023.

On Friday, ERCOT said the system was operating normally with enough supply available to meet expected demand all week.

The increased demand has pushed prices higher with dayahead power for one hour on Sunday evening rising to 1,518 per MWh, from 42.19 per MWh for the same hour on Saturday.

Power demand broke the daily record for the month of May twice before this month and hit a hit a preliminary 72,695 megawatts MW on Friday.

ERCOT projected usage would break the new May daily record on Monday, the Memorial Day public holiday, when it forecasts a peak above 76,500 MW.

High temperatures in Houston, Texas39;s biggest city, will reach 93 degrees Fahrenheit 34 degrees Celsius on Sunday and rise to 99…