ercot 0.1.1

ERCOT market data in one line of Python — DAM/RTM prices, LMPs, load, generation, and more.

ercot

ERCOT market data in one line of Python.

A thin SDK for the ERCOT Public API that gives you Day-Ahead and Real-Time settlement point prices, LMPs, load data, generation mix, and more — all as pandas DataFrames with proper Central Prevailing Time DST handling and one-call Excel/CSV export.

import ercot as er

er.configure("[e-mail]", "your-password", "your-subscription-key")

df = er.dam("LZ_HOUSTON", "2025-07-01", "2025-07-31")
er.save_xlsx(df, "houston_dam_july.xlsx")

Installation

pip install ercot

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Getting Your ERCOT API Credentials

You need three things: a username (email), a password, and a subscription key. All free. Here's exactly how to get them.

Step 1: Register an Account

1. Go to https://apiexplorer.ercot.com/
2. Click Sign Up in the top-right corner
3. Fill in your email address and create a password
4. Complete the email verification (check your inbox for the confirmation link)
5. Once verified, sign in to the API Explorer

Step 2: Subscribe to the Public API

1. After signing in, click Products in the top navigation
2. Click Public API to open the product page
3. Enter a name for your subscription (e.g., "my-ercot-app") in the Subscription name field
4. Click Subscribe
5. Wait for your subscription to be approved (usually instant, but can take up to a few hours)

Step 3: Get Your Subscription Key

1. After approval, click your username in the top-right corner → Profile
2. You'll see your subscription(s) listed
3. Click Show next to the Primary key field
4. Copy this key — this is your subscription key (also called Ocp-Apim-Subscription-Key)

Step 4: Configure ercot

import ercot as er

# This saves your credentials to ~/.ercot/credentials.json
# so you only need to do it once.
er.configure(
    "[e-mail]",          # the email you registered with
    "your-password",           # the password you created
    "your-subscription-key",   # the Primary key from Step 3
)

That's it. All subsequent calls will use the saved credentials automatically.

Alternative: Environment Variables

If you prefer not to save credentials to disk (e.g., in CI/CD or Docker):

export ERCOT_API_USERNAME="[e-mail]"
export ERCOT_API_PASSWORD="your-password"
export ERCOT_API_SUBSCRIPTION_KEY="your-subscription-key"

Alternative: Pass Directly

c = er.client(
    username="[e-mail]",
    password="your-password",
    subscription_key="your-key",
)
df = c.dam_spp("2025-07-01")

---

Quick Start

import ercot as er

# Day-Ahead prices — wide format (date + HE1..HE24 columns)
df = er.dam("LZ_HOUSTON", "2025-07-01", "2025-07-31")

# Real-Time prices — long format (one row per 15-min interval)
df = er.rtm("HB_NORTH", "2025-07-01", "2025-07-07", format="long")

# All load zones at once
df = er.dam("zones", "2025-01-01", "2025-01-31")

# Save to Excel (styled headers, alternating rows)
er.save_xlsx(df, "prices.xlsx")

# Save to CSV
er.save_csv(df, "prices.csv")

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Output Formats

Wide Format (default)

One row per date per settlement point. Interval values are columns.

DAM (24 hourly intervals):

date	settlement_point	HE1	HE2	HE3	...	HE24
2025-07-01	LZ_HOUSTON	28.54	25.12	23.87	...	38.91
2025-07-01	LZ_NORTH	27.10	24.03	22.95	...	37.44

RTM (96 fifteen-minute intervals):

date	settlement_point	IE1	IE2	...	IE96
2025-07-01	LZ_HOUSTON	24.12	25.67	...	35.44

Long Format

One row per interval with a CPT-aware interval_ending datetime.

DAM:

date	settlement_point	hour	interval_ending	price
2025-07-01	LZ_HOUSTON	1	2025-07-01 01:00:00-05:00	28.54
2025-07-01	LZ_HOUSTON	2	2025-07-01 02:00:00-05:00	25.12

RTM:

date	settlement_point	interval	interval_ending	price
2025-07-01	LZ_HOUSTON	1	2025-07-01 00:15:00-05:00	24.12
2025-07-01	LZ_HOUSTON	2	2025-07-01 00:30:00-05:00	25.67

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DST Handling

ERCOT operates in Central Prevailing Time (CPT). ercot handles DST transitions correctly:

• Spring forward (March): Hour Ending 03:00 is skipped. DAM has 23 intervals; RTM has 92.
• Fall back (November): Hour Ending 02:00 repeats. ERCOT flags the second occurrence. DAM has 25 intervals; RTM has 100.

In long format, the interval_ending column is a timezone-aware timestamp (America/Chicago) with the correct UTC offset for each row — CDT intervals show -05:00, CST intervals show -06:00.

---

Settlement Point Shortcuts

Shortcut	Expands To
'LZ_HOUSTON'	Single load zone
['LZ_HOUSTON', 'HB_NORTH']	Specific list
'zones'	All 8 load zones: LZ_HOUSTON, LZ_NORTH, LZ_SOUTH, LZ_WEST, LZ_AEN, LZ_CPS, LZ_LCRA, LZ_RAYBN
'hubs'	All 6 trading hubs: HB_BUSAVG, HB_HOUSTON, HB_NORTH, HB_SOUTH, HB_WEST, HB_PAN
'all'	All zones + hubs combined

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Full API Reference

Prices

Function	Description
er.dam(points, start, end, format=)	DAM Settlement Point Prices (hourly)
er.rtm(points, start, end, format=)	RTM Settlement Point Prices (15-min)
er.dam_lmp(start, end, points)	DAM Hourly LMPs
er.rtm_lmp(start, end, points)	RTM LMPs by Settlement Point (5-min)

Load

Function	Description
er.system_load(start, end)	Actual system load by weather zone
er.load_forecast(start, end)	7-day load forecast by model/weather zone

Generation

Function	Description
er.wind_production(start, end)	Wind power — actual and forecast
er.solar_production(start, end)	Solar power — actual and forecast
er.fuel_mix(start, end)	Generation by fuel type

Grid / Constraints

Function	Description
er.dam_shadow_prices(start, end)	DAM shadow prices and binding constraints
er.sced_shadow_prices(start, end)	SCED shadow prices and binding constraints

Reference

Function	Description
er.settlement_points_list()	All settlement points and bus mapping
er.list_endpoints()	List all available endpoints

Export

Function	Description
er.save_xlsx(df, "file.xlsx")	Formatted Excel (styled headers, alternating rows)
er.save_csv(df, "file.csv")	Standard CSV export

Advanced

# Get the full client for custom queries
c = er.client()
df = c.request("fuel_mix", {"deliveryDateFrom": "2025-07-01"})

# Hit an endpoint not in the registry
df = c.raw("/np6-xxx-cd/some_endpoint", {"param": "value"})

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Excel Export Features

er.save_xlsx() produces publication-quality spreadsheets:

• Header row: Dark teal background, white bold text, centered, with borders
• Data rows: Alternating white / light gray for readability
• Price columns: Automatically detected (HE*, IE*, price) and formatted as $#,##0.00
• Column widths: Auto-fitted to content
• Frozen panes: Header row stays visible when scrolling
• Auto-filter: Filter dropdowns on every column
• Optional high-price highlighting: Red background for prices above a threshold

# Basic
er.save_xlsx(df, "prices.xlsx")

# Multi-sheet workbook
er.save_xlsx({
    "DAM Houston": dam_df,
    "RTM Houston": rtm_df,
    "Load": load_df,
}, "ercot_report.xlsx")

# Highlight extreme prices
er.save_xlsx(df, "prices.xlsx", highlight_high_prices=True, high_price_threshold=200)

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Architecture

ercot/
├── __init__.py      # Public API — er.dam(), er.rtm(), er.save_xlsx(), etc.
├── models.py        # Constants, enums, endpoint registry, timezone
├── auth.py          # OAuth2 ROPC token management, credential storage
├── client.py        # ErcotClient — one method per endpoint, pagination
├── formatting.py    # Wide/long conversion, DST-aware datetimes
└── export.py        # CSV and formatted XLSX output

Data flow: ERCOT API → ErcotClient → DataFrame → (optional) formatting → (optional) export

No local database, no caching, no stale data. Every call hits the live API.

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License

MIT