PA Environment Digest Blog: PJM Interconnection: Extreme Cold Produces PJM Record For Winter Electricity Demand; Maximum Generation Alert Remains In Effect Into Thursday

On January 22, PJM Interconnection announced a preliminary record for winter demand at around 8:15 a.m. Wednesday, January 22 with instantaneous peak load coming in at approximately 145,000 MW, while exporting nearly 8,000 MW to our neighbors.

This exceeds PJM’s all-time winter instantaneous peak of approximately 143,700 MW, set in February 2015, pending the availability of verified metered load data.

PJM noted that significant demand – close to 140,000 MW – is forecasted for Wednesday evening and Thursday morning, so Operations continues to monitor performance of the generation fleet and transmission systems.

“We also worked closely with member companies to help resolve any cold-weather issues before the deep freeze set in,” said Mike Bryson, Sr. Vice President – Operations. “All of those steps served to help PJM and our members get ready for the cold weather. They have performed remarkably thus far, and I am grateful for their efforts.”

PJM and its member companies took a number of steps before the onset of the frigid cold that helped prepare the system for the most difficult periods Tuesday and Wednesday.

These included:

-- Cold Weather Advisory and Cold Weather Alert: Helps members get engaged with preparing for the cold weather

-- Conservative Operations declaration: Helps generators line up gas purchases with the gas market, especially over holiday weekends

-- Maintenance Outage Recall: Maximizes generator availability by requiring generators that were out for maintenance to come back in service

-- Low Voltage Alert: Maximizes transmission system capability

-- Maximum Generation Alert: Issued Tuesday to alert neighboring regions that electricity exports from PJM may be curtailed, if necessary

PJM was exporting close to 8,000 MW of electricity to neighbors at the peak demand Wednesday morning and as much as 9,000 MW at other points in the so-called “arctic outbreak.”

Bryson noted that interchange with neighbors can go both ways, and PJM has depended on its neighbors in the past.

PJM’s preliminary loads are calculated from raw telemetry data and are approximate figures.

Verified metered loads are provided by electric distribution companies and represent the best-quality level of load within their zones, with adjustments to data occurring up to 90 days after the actual date.

Click Here for PJM’s announcement.

Extreme Cold Alert!

-- Public Utility Commission Urges Consumers To Prepare For Extreme Cold [PaEN]

-- Shapiro Administration Urges Readiness In Advance Of Dangerous Cold Weather

-- PJM Interconnection Issues 'Maximum Generation Alert' For Jan. 22; All Available Generation Resources May Be Committed To Meet High Power Demands, Exports May Be Curtailed [PaEN]

-- PJM Interconnection: New All-Time Peak Electricity Demand Possible Jan. 20-22; PJM Working With Gas Generators To Try To Get Them Online Before Extreme Cold Hits [PaEN]

-- Reuters: About 12% Of North Dakota’s Oil Output Shut Down, 11% Of Gas Shut Down By Cold Weather

-- Bloomberg: Rare Snow Imperils Texas LNG Gas Exports, Shuts Louisiana Roads

-- Gov. Shapiro Threatens To Pull Pennsylvania Out Of PJM If It Does Not Protect Consumers Against Soaring Power Prices [PaEN]

-- 30 Stakeholder Comments Received By PUC On Adequacy Of Electricity Supplies In Pennsylvania; Increasing Natural Gas Power Plant Reliability To 90-95% Would Mean No Imminent Capacity Problem [PaEN]