PJM Urges United Action To Sustain Grid Reliability Through The Energy Transition, Avoid Unreliability Issues Of Natural Gas, Other Generators

On January 2, the PJM Interconnection posted a 2023 In Review summary of key actions taken to deal with a variety of challenges facing the evolving electricity industry, all with the goal of maintaining the reliability of the bulk electric system as more renewable resources connect to the grid.

PJM said Winter Storm Elliott in December 2022 offered a prelude to 2023 and the impetus for much of the work PJM and stakeholders undertook throughout the year to bolster reliability. 

While PJM and its members were able to maintain reliable electricity service during the storm, Elliott’s record temperature drops on Dec. 23–24 resulted in the loss of more than 25% of PJM’s generation fleet-- 70% natural gas-fired generation-- raised a number of questions about generation resource performance.

While working to identify and address issues raised by Winter Storm Elliott, in February 2023, PJM outlined its broad concerns about grid reliability in the near and longer terms with the publication of the third report in an ongoing study, Energy Transition in PJM: Resource Retirements, Replacements & Risks. 

The paper documented PJM’s concerns over the combined forces of new electricity demand growth, accelerating retirements of existing generators and the slow pace of new generation construction.

Click Here to read PJM's 2023 In Review Report.

The PJM Interconnection is a regional transmission organization that coordinates the movement of wholesale electricity in all or parts of 13 states and the District of Columbia, including Pennsylvania.

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[Posted: January 2, 2024]  PA Environment Digest