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Data as of 2026-10-27
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Built 2026-10-28 (28 October 2026)

CAISO Daily Load Shape and Duck Curve by Hour, 29 September to 27 October 2026

In the 29 complete local days from 29 September to 27 October 2026, electricity demand in CAISO averaged 28,734 MW and typically peaked at 18:00 local time (32,978 MW) and bottomed out at 04:00 (22,942 MW). With solar and wind taken off, the remaining load fell to 13,359 MW at 10:00 and then rose 15,005 MW between 15:00 to 18:00. Hours are local clock time (America/Los_Angeles).

Key Facts

  • Over 29 complete local days from 29 September to 27 October 2026, average demand in CAISO was 28,734 MW. The hour of the day with the highest average demand was 18:00 local time (32,978 MW) and the lowest was 04:00 (22,942 MW).
  • The largest three hour rise in average demand was 629 MW, between 14:00 to 17:00 local time.
  • The single highest hour of demand in the 30 day window was 46,213 MW, in the hour starting 5 Oct 2026, 16:00 PDT (UTC-07:00).
  • Solar output averaged 16,363 MW at its 11:00 peak, 57% of average demand.
  • Demand minus solar and wind (net load) averaged 20,810 MW, fell to 13,359 MW at 10:00 and rose 15,005 MW over the three hours from 15:00 to 18:00, 52% of average demand.

Average Day by Local Hour

29 days to 2026-10-27, America/Los_Angeles time
CAISO average demand and net generation by local hour Average electricity demand in CAISO by local clock hour over 29 complete local days from 29 September to 27 October 2026. It was lowest at 04:00 (22,942 MW) and highest at 18:00 (32,978 MW). Net generation is the power produced inside the grid, so it differs from demand by net imports. 0 10,000 20,000 30,000 40,000 00:0003:0006:0009:0012:0015:0018:0021:00
Average electricity demand in CAISO by local clock hour over 29 complete local days from 29 September to 27 October 2026. It was lowest at 04:00 (22,942 MW) and highest at 18:00 (32,978 MW). Net generation is the power produced inside the grid, so it differs from demand by net imports.
Mean MW by local hour, 2026-09-29 to 2026-10-27
CAISO average demand and net generation by local hour
Local hour (America/Los_Angeles)DemandNet generation
00:0025,587 MW19,764 MW
01:0024,249 MW18,440 MW
02:0023,429 MW17,321 MW
03:0023,088 MW16,651 MW
04:0022,942 MW16,773 MW
05:0023,367 MW17,607 MW
06:0024,505 MW19,401 MW
07:0025,772 MW20,372 MW
08:0028,661 MW21,329 MW
09:0030,920 MW21,074 MW
10:0031,349 MW20,644 MW
11:0031,557 MW20,671 MW
12:0031,587 MW21,443 MW
13:0031,783 MW22,594 MW
14:0032,241 MW24,207 MW
15:0032,549 MW26,182 MW
16:0032,540 MW27,516 MW
17:0032,870 MW27,786 MW
18:0032,978 MW27,534 MW
19:0032,183 MW26,501 MW
20:0030,939 MW25,358 MW
21:0029,860 MW24,624 MW
22:0028,136 MW22,663 MW
23:0026,525 MW20,805 MW
CAISO duck curve: demand and net load by local hour Average demand and net load (demand minus solar and wind) in CAISO by local clock hour over 29 complete local days from 29 September to 27 October 2026. Net load was lowest at 10:00 (13,359 MW) and then rose 15,005 MW between 15:00 to 18:00. 0 10,000 20,000 30,000 40,000 00:0003:0006:0009:0012:0015:0018:0021:00
Average demand and net load (demand minus solar and wind) in CAISO by local clock hour over 29 complete local days from 29 September to 27 October 2026. Net load was lowest at 10:00 (13,359 MW) and then rose 15,005 MW between 15:00 to 18:00.
Mean MW by local hour, 2026-09-29 to 2026-10-27
CAISO duck curve: demand and net load by local hour
Local hour (America/Los_Angeles)DemandNet load (demand minus solar and wind)
00:0025,587 MW23,470 MW
01:0024,249 MW22,098 MW
02:0023,429 MW21,246 MW
03:0023,088 MW20,981 MW
04:0022,942 MW20,929 MW
05:0023,367 MW21,386 MW
06:0024,505 MW22,595 MW
07:0025,772 MW21,113 MW
08:0028,661 MW15,984 MW
09:0030,920 MW14,001 MW
10:0031,349 MW13,359 MW
11:0031,557 MW13,365 MW
12:0031,587 MW13,409 MW
13:0031,783 MW13,678 MW
14:0032,241 MW14,445 MW
15:0032,549 MW15,542 MW
16:0032,540 MW18,153 MW
17:0032,870 MW26,053 MW
18:0032,978 MW30,547 MW
19:0032,183 MW29,963 MW
20:0030,939 MW28,845 MW
21:0029,860 MW27,755 MW
22:0028,136 MW26,033 MW
23:0026,525 MW24,490 MW
CAISO average solar and wind output by local hour Average solar and wind generation in CAISO by local clock hour over 29 complete local days from 29 September to 27 October 2026. Solar peaked at 11:00 at 16,363 MW. 0 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 00:0003:0006:0009:0012:0015:0018:0021:00
Average solar and wind generation in CAISO by local clock hour over 29 complete local days from 29 September to 27 October 2026. Solar peaked at 11:00 at 16,363 MW.
Mean MW by local hour, 2026-09-29 to 2026-10-27
CAISO average solar and wind output by local hour
Local hour (America/Los_Angeles)SolarWind
00:001 MW2,116 MW
01:001 MW2,150 MW
02:001 MW2,182 MW
03:001 MW2,106 MW
04:001 MW2,012 MW
05:001 MW1,981 MW
06:009 MW1,901 MW
07:002,922 MW1,736 MW
08:0011,054 MW1,622 MW
09:0015,255 MW1,664 MW
10:0016,233 MW1,756 MW
11:0016,363 MW1,830 MW
12:0016,230 MW1,948 MW
13:0016,031 MW2,074 MW
14:0015,635 MW2,162 MW
15:0014,780 MW2,226 MW
16:0012,140 MW2,246 MW
17:004,572 MW2,245 MW
18:00223 MW2,208 MW
19:008 MW2,211 MW
20:000 MW2,094 MW
21:001 MW2,104 MW
22:001 MW2,102 MW
23:001 MW2,034 MW
Average CAISO demand, net generation, solar, wind and net load by local hour
Local hourDemandNet generationSolarWindNet load
00:00 25,587 MW 19,764 MW 1 MW 2,116 MW 23,470 MW
01:00 24,249 MW 18,440 MW 1 MW 2,150 MW 22,098 MW
02:00 23,429 MW 17,321 MW 1 MW 2,182 MW 21,246 MW
03:00 23,088 MW 16,651 MW 1 MW 2,106 MW 20,981 MW
04:00 22,942 MW 16,773 MW 1 MW 2,012 MW 20,929 MW
05:00 23,367 MW 17,607 MW 1 MW 1,981 MW 21,386 MW
06:00 24,505 MW 19,401 MW 9 MW 1,901 MW 22,595 MW
07:00 25,772 MW 20,372 MW 2,922 MW 1,736 MW 21,113 MW
08:00 28,661 MW 21,329 MW 11,054 MW 1,622 MW 15,984 MW
09:00 30,920 MW 21,074 MW 15,255 MW 1,664 MW 14,001 MW
10:00 31,349 MW 20,644 MW 16,233 MW 1,756 MW 13,359 MW
11:00 31,557 MW 20,671 MW 16,363 MW 1,830 MW 13,365 MW
12:00 31,587 MW 21,443 MW 16,230 MW 1,948 MW 13,409 MW
13:00 31,783 MW 22,594 MW 16,031 MW 2,074 MW 13,678 MW
14:00 32,241 MW 24,207 MW 15,635 MW 2,162 MW 14,445 MW
15:00 32,549 MW 26,182 MW 14,780 MW 2,226 MW 15,542 MW
16:00 32,540 MW 27,516 MW 12,140 MW 2,246 MW 18,153 MW
17:00 32,870 MW 27,786 MW 4,572 MW 2,245 MW 26,053 MW
18:00 32,978 MW 27,534 MW 223 MW 2,208 MW 30,547 MW
19:00 32,183 MW 26,501 MW 8 MW 2,211 MW 29,963 MW
20:00 30,939 MW 25,358 MW 0 MW 2,094 MW 28,845 MW
21:00 29,860 MW 24,624 MW 1 MW 2,104 MW 27,755 MW
22:00 28,136 MW 22,663 MW 1 MW 2,102 MW 26,033 MW
23:00 26,525 MW 20,805 MW 1 MW 2,034 MW 24,490 MW

Each value is the mean over 29 complete local days from 29 September to 27 October 2026, weekdays and weekends together, for the hour starting at that local clock time. Net load is demand minus solar and wind generation. The single highest hour of demand in the whole 30 day window was 46,213 MW; it is a published reading, not an average, and is not part of the profile above.

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). (US Government work, public domain) Data as of 2026-10-27. Profiles are computed by World Power Monitor from the operator's hourly series.

Assumptions

  • Hours are local clock time in America/Los_Angeles. A local day is used only if it is whole inside the 30 day window and at least 22 of its hours are complete; the profile uses the 29 most recent such days. Daylight saving follows the local clock: on a clock change day the missing hour is absent and the repeated hour is averaged over both readings.
  • The average mixes weekdays and weekends and covers only 29 days, so it describes recent conditions, not a seasonal norm.
  • The evening ramp is the largest rise over three hours in the average profile, starting between 14:00 and 20:00 local time.
Cite this page
APA 7

World Power Monitor. (2026). CAISO Daily Load Shape and Duck Curve by Hour. https://worldpowermonitor.com/load-shapes/caiso/

Plain text

World Power Monitor. CAISO Daily Load Shape and Duck Curve by Hour. Data as of 2026-10-27. Data from U.S. Energy Information Administration. https://worldpowermonitor.com/load-shapes/caiso/

BibTeX 
@misc{wpm_load_shapes_caiso_2026,
  title = {{CAISO Daily Load Shape and Duck Curve by Hour}},
  author = {{World Power Monitor}},
  year = {2026},
  note = {Data as of 2026-10-27. Data from U.S. Energy Information Administration.},
  url = {https://worldpowermonitor.com/load-shapes/caiso/}
}

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