Storm Elliott proved again that coal power plants are essential to ensuring a reliable supply of electricity
"This report demonstrates how dependent the power supply system is on the remaining coal fleet, much of which will retire this decade unless steps are taken to limit closures,"
Key Takeaways from the Report
- The coal fleet was a major source of increased electricity during Elliott because coal plants maintain fuel on site. The coal fleet provided 38 percent of the increased additional electricity nationwide including:
- 47 percent in the 13-state PJM region,
- 39 percent in the 14-state Southwest Power Pool (SPP) region, and
- 37 percent in the 15-state Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) region.
- Other regions of the country have no or much less coal-fired generation that can be called on to prevent electricity shortages.
- Increased electricity generation from natural gas was limited in some regions by lack of fuel due to the simultaneous high demand for heating. In PJM, for example, natural gas was able to provide only 2 percent of the additional electricity required because of Elliott, compared to 47 percent from coal.
- Although high wind speeds were associated with Elliott, wind produced 6 percent less electricity during the storm than it did during the first half of December.
- Solar power provided 3 percent of the additional electricity generation but was not available during critical times (between sunset and sunrise).
- Utilities have announced plans to retire more than 82,000 megawatts of coal-fired generating capacity by 2030, roughly three-quarters in the MISO, PJM, and the Southeast regions.
- Without comparable replacement capacity with on-site fuel storage, power system failures are more likely during extreme weather events.
increased electricity generated nationwide during Elliott
Increased electricity generation from natural gas was limited in some regions by lack of fuel due to the simultaneous high demand for heating. In PJM, for example, natural gas was able to provide only 2 percent of the additional electricity required because of Elliott, compared to 47 percent from coal.
The coal fleet provided 38 percent of the increased additional electricity generated nationwide.
INCREASED ADDITIONAL
ELECTRICITY GENERATION FROM
COAL FLEET BY ISO REGION
13-State PJM Interconnection Region
14-State Southwest Power Pool (SPP) Region
15-State Midcontinent Independent System Operator Region
