Historical Power Pricing

✓ $33.07/MWh zonal avg · Tier 1
Criteria: Bus-level pricing at chosen POI (zonal floor when bus unavailable). Tier 1 <$35/MWh · Tier 2 $35–$50 · Tier 3 $50–$65 · Fail ≥$65. Lower is better.
Source: Geoforge grid dataset · US Substations · 2026-06-16
Site Assessment
✓ Tier 1
$33.07/MWh zonal avg · LZ_HOUSTON (zonal only)
Zonal RTM Price
$33.07/MWh <$35 threshold
P10 $14.84/MWh · P90 $54.46/MWh · Median $25.96/MWh
Settlement Point / Zone
LZ_HOUSTON ERCOT
Via CANEY (138 kV, 3.7 mi)
Bus-Level Pricing
Not Available
Settlement point node data pending · zonal LMP used as floor estimate
Price Range & Volatility
$-36.51–$3860.87
101,560 intervals · 2025-01-01 to 2026-06-13
Negative Price Frequency
2.0% Congestion proxy
Minimal congestion signal for load zone

Summary

Monthly Average RTM Prices — LZ_HOUSTON

Price Distribution Statistics

Metric Value Context
Mean RTM Price (Zonal) $33.07/MWh Tier 1
Median RTM Price $25.96/MWh 50th percentile — typical operating conditions
P10 (Low) $14.84/MWh 10th percentile — floor conditions
P90 (High) $54.46/MWh 90th percentile — stress conditions
Min / Max Price $-36.51 / $3860.87/MWh Extremes over 18-month sample
Negative Price Intervals 2.0% Congestion / curtailment proxy
Bus-Level Pricing Not available ERCOT settlement point node ID not mapped to this substation
Sample Coverage 101,560 intervals 15-min RTM data · 2025-01-01 to 2026-06-13
Nearest Substation (POI) CANEY (138 kV) 3.7 mi from site centroid

Analysis

The the site is located within ERCOT’s LZ_HOUSTON load zone, identified via the nearest POI substation (CANEY, 138 kV, 3.7 mi). Over the trailing 18-month period (2025-01-01 to 2026-06-13), the average real-time market settlement point price was $33.07/MWh (median $25.96/MWh), placing the site in Tier 1 (<$35/MWh threshold).

The P10–P90 range of $14.84–$54.46/MWh reflects typical ERCOT seasonal variation, with summer months showing higher averages driven by cooling load and scarcity pricing events. May 2025 recorded the highest monthly average at $40.64/MWh due to weather-driven demand spikes. Negative pricing occurred in 2.0% of intervals, indicating minimal congestion — well within normal range for an urban load zone.

Bus-level (settlement point node) pricing is not available for this POI. The substations_w_capacity dataset does not yet carry ERCOT settlement point IDs, and spatial join from the ERCOT Settlement Point List is pending settlement-point enrichment. Zonal LMP serves as the pricing floor estimate, but may understate local congestion costs at this 138 kV interconnection point. A 138 kV substation like CANEY can experience bus-level prices significantly above or below the zonal average during congestion events.

Overall, LZ_HOUSTON zonal power costs support data center economics at this site with competitive wholesale electricity pricing. The mean zonal RTM price of $33.07/MWh falls within Tier 1, providing favorable conditions pending bus-level confirmation. Investors should validate bus-level pricing through ERCOT Settlement Point Price data or utility-provided nodal pricing before finalizing interconnection at CANEY.

Next Steps

Sources