Data source: US Energy Information Management, Hour Grid Monitor notes: EST = Eastern Standard Time
On January 19, 2025, the average temperature in the eastern United States was below average, resulting in high demand for electricity. January 21, 6:00 PM ET, ISO-New England (ISO-NE), the organization operates an integrated grid in Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut , recorded a peak hour demand of 19,600 MW (MW). Despite rising demand, it is below 20,308 MW of ISO-NE predicts peak demand demand will be in the 2024/2025 winter assessment released on November 7, 2024/2025. New England is milder than the Midwest temperatures are required in New England.
Although the grid has sufficient production capacity to meet demand, a large share of supply comes from sources that rarely operate. The grid needs to run older heat-generating plants that burn oil and coal. ISO is between 11:00 AM and 4:00 PM ET on January 20, 2025 and 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM on January 21, 2025 compared to plants burning natural gas -NE grid is relatively rare. On January 21, 2025, the hot plants in the same group of ISO-NE provide over 4,000 MW of electricity to the grid every hour, between 7:00 AM and 11:00 PM, which is the two remaining coals. From the evening of January 19 to the morning of January 25, the Merrimack facility in New Hampshire burned coal-burning plants in the area, providing nearly 300 megawatts to the power grid.
From January 18 to January 22, oil and coal offset the generation of natural gas power plants. Natural gas prices are high, and during this period, supply is insufficient because other consumers have higher demand for natural gas, such as homes and businesses. Later this week, more gas was provided, including supplies received from the liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal in Everett, Massachusetts. This supply will help generate electricity from natural gas power plants starting January 22.
Two other major sources of electricity in New England are stable suppliers during the cold array. Three nuclear reactors in the region have steadily provided 3,350 megawatts of electricity throughout the period and have consistently imported electricity from Canada. At 11:00 pm on January 18, between January 18 and midnight on January 26, Canada imported more than 4,200 MW of electricity, an average of 2,886 MW per hour.
Key Contributors: Kimberly Peterson, Sue Smith
Label: Petroleum/Petroleum, Coal, Electric Power Generation, Electric Power Grid, New England, Northeast, ISO (Independent System Operator)
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I prefer to use stacked area maps to evaluate the contributions of different power generation sources.
Figure 1. Source1/18/2025 – 1/26/2025, ISO New England Power Generation. EIA in the United States
Nuclear power provides a stable base load. Coal rises to strengthen base load. Natural gas rises and falls with demand. Oil-burning power plants are getting bigger to cover gases that cannot keep up with demand. Hydraulic and pumped storage is on top of the waves. When it comes to solar power, wind energy and battery power are largely invisible.
How many ways to calculate irony?
Ironically #1
Ironically, New England had to import foreign liquefied natural gas (LNG) because they were firmly resistant to the construction of gas pipelines.
Even if New England is relatively close to Marcellus and Utica shale gas basins in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio, the rise in production in these areas matches pipeline infrastructure to provide fuel supply to the area. The problem in New England is complicating the lack of underground storage that can be used to help smooth out seasonal demand spikes.[3]
The Northeast has also effectively separated from the domestic liquefied natural gas supply. Although the U.S. exports LNG from terminals on the Gulf Coast and Gulf Cape, cargo from Maryland, these locations and other U.S. ports cannot be shipped to New England due to the Jones Act, which limits sea access between U.S. ports. Business. (The Jones Act will be discussed in more depth later in this article.)
The region's demand for natural gas in the region continues to grow due to the retirement of new, gas-fired power plants, coal and nuclear power plants, as well as residential users who switch from heating oil to gas.[4] Now nearly half of New England's power plants now use natural gas as their main fuel (about 15,000 MW)[5] 46% of homes in the area use natural gas for heating.[6]
The area is served by two LNG import terminals in Massachusetts: Everett and Northeast Gateway Terminal. In addition, Cove Point Pier in Maryland and Elba Pier in Georgia can import other supplies to cover the emergence of regional shortages.
Global Energy Policy Center
From January 18 to January 22, oil and coal offset the generation of natural gas power plants. Natural gas prices are high, and during this period, supply is insufficient because other consumers have higher demand for natural gas, such as homes and businesses. Later this week, more gas was provided, including supplies received from the liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal in Everett, Massachusetts. This supply will help generate electricity from natural gas power plants starting January 22.
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Nuclear, oil and coal-fired generators are crucial in the coldest winters where natural gas supplies are restricted (see below). Coal and oil resources also make valuable contributions when the hottest days of summer are high or unavailable. As more and more conventional heat generation facilities store fuel in on-site retirement, the system increasingly consists of generation facilities operating with “timely” energy: natural gas (from Pipelines and LNG delivery), wind, wind, wind, Wind, wind and solar energy.
There are limited options for storing natural gas, and most natural gas-fueled plants rely on instant fuel delivered to New England through interstate pipelines. But even over the past few decades, interstate pipeline infrastructure has only been gradually expanding, even if the dependence on natural gas on household heating and power generation has increased significantly. In cold weather, most gas is dedicated to local utilities for residential, commercial and industrial heating. As a result, many New England power plants do not have access to fuel for power generation during severe winter weather. Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is brought to New England from overseas and can help fill the gaps – but regional LNG has limited storage and transmission capabilities, and its timely arrival depends on long-term weather forecasts, global market prices and other logistical challenges.
ISO New England
Ironically #2
New England has largely been betting on wind and solar power by the left-wing environmental government.
New England states advance with three huge offshore wind farms
Reuters
September 6, 2024
NEW YORK, Reuters (Reuters) – Three offshore wind projects in Massachusetts and Rhode Island totaled 2.9 GW (GW), or enough power to power about 1.6 million homes, government officials announced Friday.
The project’s choice was built on the New England coast in March, which will be a joint invitation for wind farms in Massachusetts and Rhode Island in Rhode Island to combat the impact of climate change.
[…]
Federal and state climate commitments focus primarily around the decarbonized grid by replacing fossil fuel electricity with renewable wind and solar energy. Massachusetts aims to reduce carbon emissions in its power sector by 50% by 2030 and 100% by 2050. Rhode Island’s much smaller target has set a goal of using all renewable energy by 2033.
[…]
Reuters
Maybe they should check with ISO New England first.
Winter also presents the biggest challenge for New England solar output due to shortened snow, clouds and sunlight. Additionally, shortened winter means consumers use the most electricity after sunset, so solar energy does not reduce peak demand in winter. While offshore winds experienced the highest yields in winter, winter storms that limit solar energy could also significantly limit wind yields if high wind speeds force plant operators to shut down to protect equipment. This variability is an understandable challenge that can achieve state decarbonization goals through greater renewable, weather-dependent technologies and poses new technical challenges to grid reliability.
ISO New England
Solar energy works best when New England needs to rent.
Ironically #3
In the recent cold-button, peak demand occurred at 0800 on January 22.
Figure 3. AindSource 1/18/2025 – 1/26/2025, ISO New England power generation, peak demand highlighted.
Fossil fuels and nuclear energy provide 83% of the electricity generation. Hydropower and pumped water storage cover 13%. Wind accounts for 1%, and solar and battery storage accounts for zero-point of electricity generation.
Figure 4. Power generation via source 0800 1/22/2025 ISO New England.
Ironically #4
The ultimate irony was that I was born (1958), grew up, went to college and earned a degree in geosciences from Connecticut (1980). Ice Age era.
I just finished my second year in college search The plot was aired in May 1978.
I have been a geophysicist/geologist in the Texas oil and gas industry since 1981…helps provide oil and gas that prevents New Englanders from freezing in the dark…and I think, too To some extent, it contributed to global warming, which took them away Ice Age.
Fortunately, for those affected by adverse weather (such as really cold nights), the oil and gas industry produces natural gas, but rarely 24/7/365. When production exceeds demand, we inject it into an underground storage facility so that it can be withdrawn when demand exceeds production.
Figure 7. Natural gas storage. EIA in the United States
“You're welcome,” the former Connecticut Yangke geology student, now naturalized Texas oil geologist.
