Utility Dive•26 days ago
US coal generation jumped 31% during Winter Storm Fern: EIA
Key Takeaway
The event demonstrates the continued critical reliance on dispatchable thermal generation (coal, gas) to maintain grid stability and meet demand during extreme weather events when renewable output is diminished.
AI Summary
- •During Winter Storm Fern, US coal generation surged 31% and gas generation increased 14% in the Lower 48 states.
- •Solar, wind, and hydropower contributions simultaneously declined, highlighting the intermittency challenge of renewables during extreme weather.
- •This event reinforces the critical role of dispatchable thermal generation for grid reliability, impacting resource adequacy planning and capacity market value for firm power.
Topics
capacity-marketccgtemissionspolicysimple-cyclesolarwind