ERCOT wholesale power prices in October 2026: $36.95 per MWh, up 10.9% from a year earlier
As of November 2, 2026, ERCOT's real-time hub average price for October 2026 was $36.95 per MWh, or about 3.7¢ per kWh. That is 3.8% lower than September 2026 ($38.40) and 10.9% higher than October 2025 ($33.33). Two years earlier, in October 2024, it was $23.94.
The day-ahead market came out almost the same: $36.73 per MWh for the hub average in October 2026.
What these numbers are
- Wholesale price. ERCOT runs the Texas grid market. It publishes a price for every 15 minutes (real-time) and every hour (day-ahead) at each trading hub and load zone. We collect both every day.
- Hub average (ERCOT's "HB_HUBAVG") is the average of the four trading hubs: North, Houston, South and West.
- Our monthly figure is the average of daily averages, and each daily average is the average of that day's 15-minute prices. $1 per MWh is 0.1¢ per kWh.
October 2026 by month and by year
| Real-time hub average | $ per MWh | ¢ per kWh |
|---|---|---|
| October 2026 | 36.95 | 3.70 |
| September 2026 | 38.40 | 3.84 |
| October 2025 | 33.33 | 3.33 |
| October 2024 | 23.94 | 2.39 |
| January–October 2026 (average of daily averages) | 32.15 | 3.22 |
| January–October 2025 | 32.14 | 3.21 |
So October was higher than a year earlier, but for the year so far 2026 and 2025 are level. January 2026 ($47.65) was the highest month in our data, which starts in December 2023.
By load zone
Load zones are ERCOT's pricing areas. They are not the same as utility areas, so use them as a guide only.
| Load zone, real-time | October 2026 | October 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| North | $35.14 | $31.19 |
| Houston | $40.35 | $33.58 |
| South | $40.50 | $35.68 |
| West | $42.41 | $41.52 |
| Austin Energy | $40.68 | $38.14 |
| CPS Energy | $38.24 | $37.37 |
Houston rose the most from a year earlier (+20.2%); West rose the least (+2.1%).
Highest and lowest days
- Highest: October 8 (daily average $68.70) and October 5 ($68.50). The single highest 15-minute price of the month at the hub average was $438.35 per MWh on October 5.
- Lowest: October 11 ($13.85) and October 16 ($15.06).
- On 4 days (October 11, 16, 17 and 24) some 15-minute prices fell below zero; the lowest was −$11.33 on October 24. Negative prices usually come when wind and solar output is high and demand is low.
What it means for your bill
- Fixed-rate plan: your price per kWh does not change during the term because of wholesale prices. See how fixed, variable and time-of-use plans work.
- Variable-rate plan: the provider can change the price each month. Wholesale prices are one input; check the notice your provider sends.
- New offers: providers set the prices on Power to Choose partly from wholesale and forward prices. For what homes are actually offered, see Texas electricity rates in October 2026, or compare plans for Oncor and CenterPoint. We rank plans by estimated annual cost (how we rank plans).
Plans that pass real-time ERCOT prices straight to homes have been barred since September 1, 2021 (16 TAC §25.475).
Limits
- Real-time data for 5 days is incomplete in our archive: October 17 and 18 (95 of 96 intervals), October 29 (82), October 30 (89) and October 31 (79). Overall we have 2,936 of 2,976 intervals (98.7%). Using only the 26 complete days, the month's average is $36.69 instead of $36.95. We will update this article if the missing intervals arrive.
- Wholesale prices are not retail prices and are not offers.
Grid demand for the same period is on our grid demand data page.
TexasHomeBills is independent and is not a provider or broker; see our advertiser disclosure.
Questions
What was the ERCOT wholesale electricity price in October 2026?
The real-time hub average was $36.95 per MWh, or about 3.7¢ per kWh, based on ERCOT's 15-minute settlement point prices. The day-ahead hub average was $36.73 per MWh.
Do ERCOT wholesale prices change my electricity bill?
Not on a fixed-rate plan during its term. They can affect a variable-rate plan's monthly price and the prices providers set for new offers. Since 2021, plans that pass real-time ERCOT prices straight to homes are not allowed.
Why is the wholesale price so much lower than the price on my bill?
The wholesale price covers only the energy itself. Your retail price also includes utility delivery charges, the provider's other costs and margin, and fees. In October 2026 the median plan price at 1,000 kWh was about 12¢ to 15¢ per kWh, depending on the utility.
Sources
- Settlement Point Prices at Resource Nodes, Hubs and Load Zones (NP6-905-CD), real-time 15-minute prices, October 1–31, 2026 — ERCOT
- DAM Settlement Point Prices (NP4-190-CD), hourly day-ahead prices, October 1–31, 2026 — ERCOT
- 16 TAC §25.475, General Retail Electric Provider Requirements and Information Disclosures — Public Utility Commission of Texas
General information as of Nov 5, 2026, not legal or financial advice. PUCT rules (16 TAC Chapter 25), your contract and the provider's Electricity Facts Label control; check the current rule text and your own documents.
