WALC Demand Forecast Accuracy: Error, Bias and Worst Miss, 28 September to 28 October 2026
The day-ahead demand forecast for WALC was off by 16.4% on average (mean absolute percentage error) over 719 hours from 28 September to 28 October 2026, and 18% of hours landed within 5% of the reading. Its bias was +8.5%: it ran high on average, an over forecast. The largest miss was 494 MW (70.0%) too high at 27 Oct 2026, 18:00 MST (UTC-07:00). Dates and times are local (America/Phoenix).
Key Facts
- The day-ahead demand forecast for WALC was off by 16.4% on average (mean absolute percentage error) over 719 hours from 28 September to 28 October 2026, and 18% of hours landed within 5% of the reading. Its bias was +8.5%: it ran high on average, an over forecast. The largest miss was 494 MW (70.0%) too high at 27 Oct 2026, 18:00 MST (UTC-07:00).
- Across 53 US grids ranked by average error over their own latest 30 day windows, WALC came 47 (1 is the smallest error).
- On average the forecast differed from reported demand by 140 MW, against average demand of 892 MW.
- The forecast was above reported demand in 63% of compared hours.
Forecast Error at a Glance
719 hours from 28 September to 28 October 2026Average error is the mean absolute percentage gap between the forecast and reported demand. Bias is the signed mean (+62 MW per hour on average): the forecast ran high on average, an over forecast. The worst miss was 494 MW (70.0%) too high at 27 Oct 2026, 18:00 MST (UTC-07:00): forecast 1,200 MW, reported 706 MW.
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). (US Government work, public domain) Data as of 2026-10-28. Accuracy is computed by World Power Monitor from the operator's hourly forecast and reported demand.
Forecast and Reported Demand, Last 7 Days
Local time, to 28 Oct 2026, 04:00 MST (UTC-07:00)Show the data table (168 rows)
| Local hour | Reported demand | Day-ahead forecast |
|---|---|---|
| 21 Oct, 05:00 | 823 MW | 640 MW |
| 21 Oct, 06:00 | 848 MW | 858 MW |
| 21 Oct, 07:00 | 811 MW | 738 MW |
| 21 Oct, 08:00 | 844 MW | 903 MW |
| 21 Oct, 09:00 | 820 MW | 887 MW |
| 21 Oct, 10:00 | 913 MW | 849 MW |
| 21 Oct, 11:00 | 978 MW | 909 MW |
| 21 Oct, 12:00 | 1,099 MW | 1,027 MW |
| 21 Oct, 13:00 | 1,126 MW | 951 MW |
| 21 Oct, 14:00 | 1,176 MW | 1,027 MW |
| 21 Oct, 15:00 | 1,144 MW | 995 MW |
| 21 Oct, 16:00 | 1,009 MW | 832 MW |
| 21 Oct, 17:00 | 1,232 MW | 1,080 MW |
| 21 Oct, 18:00 | 1,206 MW | 1,223 MW |
| 21 Oct, 19:00 | 1,059 MW | 1,264 MW |
| 21 Oct, 20:00 | 1,073 MW | 1,137 MW |
| 21 Oct, 21:00 | 1,175 MW | 1,087 MW |
| 21 Oct, 22:00 | 1,009 MW | 901 MW |
| 21 Oct, 23:00 | 833 MW | 759 MW |
| 22 Oct, 00:00 | 816 MW | 754 MW |
| 22 Oct, 01:00 | 783 MW | 699 MW |
| 22 Oct, 02:00 | 769 MW | 690 MW |
| 22 Oct, 03:00 | 775 MW | 682 MW |
| 22 Oct, 04:00 | 766 MW | 708 MW |
| 22 Oct, 05:00 | 774 MW | 961 MW |
| 22 Oct, 06:00 | 833 MW | 901 MW |
| 22 Oct, 07:00 | 808 MW | 806 MW |
| 22 Oct, 08:00 | 1,019 MW | 786 MW |
| 22 Oct, 09:00 | 1,059 MW | 838 MW |
| 22 Oct, 10:00 | 1,019 MW | 815 MW |
| 22 Oct, 11:00 | 1,015 MW | 880 MW |
| 22 Oct, 12:00 | 1,065 MW | 938 MW |
| 22 Oct, 13:00 | 1,064 MW | 896 MW |
| 22 Oct, 14:00 | 1,054 MW | 837 MW |
| 22 Oct, 15:00 | 1,069 MW | 793 MW |
| 22 Oct, 16:00 | 988 MW | 798 MW |
| 22 Oct, 17:00 | 1,141 MW | 1,042 MW |
| 22 Oct, 18:00 | 1,125 MW | 1,118 MW |
| 22 Oct, 19:00 | 1,160 MW | 1,147 MW |
| 22 Oct, 20:00 | 925 MW | 1,012 MW |
| 22 Oct, 21:00 | 853 MW | 969 MW |
| 22 Oct, 22:00 | 904 MW | 902 MW |
| 22 Oct, 23:00 | 696 MW | 865 MW |
| 23 Oct, 00:00 | 706 MW | 769 MW |
| 23 Oct, 01:00 | 771 MW | 759 MW |
| 23 Oct, 02:00 | 715 MW | 776 MW |
| 23 Oct, 03:00 | 687 MW | 739 MW |
| 23 Oct, 04:00 | 682 MW | 738 MW |
| 23 Oct, 05:00 | 745 MW | 791 MW |
| 23 Oct, 06:00 | 678 MW | 736 MW |
| 23 Oct, 07:00 | 666 MW | 661 MW |
| 23 Oct, 08:00 | 723 MW | 780 MW |
| 23 Oct, 09:00 | 754 MW | 810 MW |
| 23 Oct, 10:00 | 756 MW | 844 MW |
| 23 Oct, 11:00 | 803 MW | 873 MW |
| 23 Oct, 12:00 | 848 MW | 860 MW |
| 23 Oct, 13:00 | 868 MW | 827 MW |
| 23 Oct, 14:00 | 866 MW | 799 MW |
| 23 Oct, 15:00 | 817 MW | 803 MW |
| 23 Oct, 16:00 | 789 MW | 804 MW |
| 23 Oct, 17:00 | 1,013 MW | 1,145 MW |
| 23 Oct, 18:00 | 1,072 MW | 1,124 MW |
| 23 Oct, 19:00 | 1,046 MW | 1,147 MW |
| 23 Oct, 20:00 | 1,070 MW | 1,097 MW |
| 23 Oct, 21:00 | 849 MW | 1,050 MW |
| 23 Oct, 22:00 | 823 MW | 1,015 MW |
| 23 Oct, 23:00 | 711 MW | 975 MW |
| 24 Oct, 00:00 | 891 MW | 728 MW |
| 24 Oct, 01:00 | 832 MW | 731 MW |
| 24 Oct, 02:00 | 704 MW | 740 MW |
| 24 Oct, 03:00 | 700 MW | 710 MW |
| 24 Oct, 04:00 | 713 MW | 782 MW |
| 24 Oct, 05:00 | 725 MW | 796 MW |
| 24 Oct, 06:00 | 726 MW | 712 MW |
| 24 Oct, 07:00 | 724 MW | 572 MW |
| 24 Oct, 08:00 | 933 MW | 582 MW |
| 24 Oct, 09:00 | 873 MW | 582 MW |
| 24 Oct, 10:00 | 894 MW | 628 MW |
| 24 Oct, 11:00 | 864 MW | 610 MW |
| 24 Oct, 12:00 | 891 MW | 596 MW |
| 24 Oct, 13:00 | 908 MW | 624 MW |
| 24 Oct, 14:00 | 962 MW | 655 MW |
| 24 Oct, 15:00 | 975 MW | 708 MW |
| 24 Oct, 16:00 | 944 MW | 663 MW |
| 24 Oct, 17:00 | 1,073 MW | 956 MW |
| 24 Oct, 18:00 | 1,073 MW | 987 MW |
| 24 Oct, 19:00 | 1,078 MW | 919 MW |
| 24 Oct, 20:00 | 959 MW | 784 MW |
| 24 Oct, 21:00 | 938 MW | 789 MW |
| 24 Oct, 22:00 | 940 MW | 863 MW |
| 24 Oct, 23:00 | 767 MW | 832 MW |
| 25 Oct, 00:00 | 646 MW | 769 MW |
| 25 Oct, 01:00 | 625 MW | 741 MW |
| 25 Oct, 02:00 | 631 MW | 732 MW |
| 25 Oct, 03:00 | 683 MW | 746 MW |
| 25 Oct, 04:00 | 672 MW | 821 MW |
| 25 Oct, 05:00 | 660 MW | 825 MW |
| 25 Oct, 06:00 | 668 MW | 777 MW |
| 25 Oct, 07:00 | 671 MW | 666 MW |
| 25 Oct, 08:00 | 881 MW | 849 MW |
| 25 Oct, 09:00 | 805 MW | 835 MW |
| 25 Oct, 10:00 | 812 MW | 846 MW |
| 25 Oct, 11:00 | 830 MW | 896 MW |
| 25 Oct, 12:00 | 875 MW | 918 MW |
| 25 Oct, 13:00 | 886 MW | 943 MW |
| 25 Oct, 14:00 | 878 MW | 999 MW |
| 25 Oct, 15:00 | 891 MW | 990 MW |
| 25 Oct, 16:00 | 778 MW | 940 MW |
| 25 Oct, 17:00 | 964 MW | 1,067 MW |
| 25 Oct, 18:00 | 928 MW | 1,146 MW |
| 25 Oct, 19:00 | 970 MW | 1,109 MW |
| 25 Oct, 20:00 | 850 MW | 897 MW |
| 25 Oct, 21:00 | 804 MW | 860 MW |
| 25 Oct, 22:00 | 717 MW | 895 MW |
| 25 Oct, 23:00 | 590 MW | 862 MW |
| 26 Oct, 00:00 | 535 MW | 779 MW |
| 26 Oct, 01:00 | 520 MW | 737 MW |
| 26 Oct, 02:00 | 497 MW | 749 MW |
| 26 Oct, 03:00 | 507 MW | 782 MW |
| 26 Oct, 04:00 | 556 MW | 819 MW |
| 26 Oct, 05:00 | 650 MW | 843 MW |
| 26 Oct, 06:00 | 768 MW | 828 MW |
| 26 Oct, 07:00 | 750 MW | 808 MW |
| 26 Oct, 08:00 | 811 MW | 900 MW |
| 26 Oct, 09:00 | 794 MW | 902 MW |
| 26 Oct, 10:00 | 793 MW | 990 MW |
| 26 Oct, 11:00 | 787 MW | 1,042 MW |
| 26 Oct, 12:00 | 801 MW | 1,062 MW |
| 26 Oct, 13:00 | 862 MW | 1,108 MW |
| 26 Oct, 14:00 | 931 MW | 1,122 MW |
| 26 Oct, 15:00 | 1,465 MW | 1,127 MW |
| 26 Oct, 16:00 | 818 MW | 980 MW |
| 26 Oct, 17:00 | 913 MW | 1,067 MW |
| 26 Oct, 18:00 | 966 MW | 1,155 MW |
| 26 Oct, 19:00 | 977 MW | 1,070 MW |
| 26 Oct, 20:00 | 827 MW | 998 MW |
| 26 Oct, 21:00 | 804 MW | 961 MW |
| 26 Oct, 22:00 | 748 MW | 915 MW |
| 26 Oct, 23:00 | 625 MW | 775 MW |
| 27 Oct, 00:00 | 524 MW | 754 MW |
| 27 Oct, 01:00 | 551 MW | 745 MW |
| 27 Oct, 02:00 | 497 MW | 744 MW |
| 27 Oct, 03:00 | 477 MW | 784 MW |
| 27 Oct, 04:00 | 499 MW | 743 MW |
| 27 Oct, 05:00 | 530 MW | 753 MW |
| 27 Oct, 06:00 | 707 MW | 736 MW |
| 27 Oct, 07:00 | 786 MW | 710 MW |
| 27 Oct, 08:00 | 694 MW | 895 MW |
| 27 Oct, 09:00 | 681 MW | 836 MW |
| 27 Oct, 10:00 | 687 MW | 938 MW |
| 27 Oct, 11:00 | 745 MW | 1,047 MW |
| 27 Oct, 12:00 | 724 MW | 1,053 MW |
| 27 Oct, 13:00 | 718 MW | 1,064 MW |
| 27 Oct, 14:00 | 758 MW | 1,002 MW |
| 27 Oct, 15:00 | 827 MW | 1,005 MW |
| 27 Oct, 16:00 | 701 MW | 940 MW |
| 27 Oct, 17:00 | 750 MW | 1,112 MW |
| 27 Oct, 18:00 | 706 MW | 1,200 MW |
| 27 Oct, 19:00 | 762 MW | 1,153 MW |
| 27 Oct, 20:00 | 821 MW | 985 MW |
| 27 Oct, 21:00 | 782 MW | 965 MW |
| 27 Oct, 22:00 | 612 MW | 876 MW |
| 27 Oct, 23:00 | 656 MW | 783 MW |
| 28 Oct, 00:00 | 571 MW | 730 MW |
| 28 Oct, 01:00 | 565 MW | 736 MW |
| 28 Oct, 02:00 | 560 MW | 743 MW |
| 28 Oct, 03:00 | 561 MW | 777 MW |
| 28 Oct, 04:00 | 554 MW | 754 MW |
Assumptions
- Only hours with both a forecast and a positive demand reading count (719 of 720 hours in the window). Missing and zero values, and readings under 30% or over 3 times the grid's own median for the window, are treated as reporting faults and left out.
- Error is (forecast minus reported demand) divided by reported demand; average error uses absolute values so high and low misses do not cancel. Bias keeps the sign and does cancel.
- Reported demand is preliminary and may be revised. A 30 day window is a short sample and one heat wave or holiday can move these figures.
- US figures are for the EIA balancing authority or region named on this page. US and European grids are ranked separately.
Related
Cite this page
World Power Monitor. (2026). WALC Demand Forecast Accuracy: Error, Bias and Worst Miss. https://worldpowermonitor.com/forecast-accuracy/walc/
World Power Monitor. WALC Demand Forecast Accuracy: Error, Bias and Worst Miss. Data as of 2026-10-28. Data from U.S. Energy Information Administration. https://worldpowermonitor.com/forecast-accuracy/walc/
@misc{wpm_forecast_accuracy_walc_2026,
title = {{WALC Demand Forecast Accuracy: Error, Bias and Worst Miss}},
author = {{World Power Monitor}},
year = {2026},
note = {Data as of 2026-10-28. Data from U.S. Energy Information Administration.},
url = {https://worldpowermonitor.com/forecast-accuracy/walc/}
} Permalink: https://worldpowermonitor.com/forecast-accuracy/walc/
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