Energy Business
Sat, Sep 12
Molly Glick
Molly Glick
Energy Central Team
·Posted in Energy Business

NEWS: US power pros passed this winter’s test with flying colors, according to FERC and NERC. ❄️

  • The agencies reported “no significant disruptions” to the country’s gas or electric systems this past winter.

  • We’ve come a long way: During Winter Storm Uri in Feb. 2021, ERCOT ordered the country’s largest-ever controlled load shedding event (20 GW). And during Winter Storm Elliott in Dec. 2022, grid operators in the Southeast directed over 5.4 GW of blackouts, a regional record. 

  • This time around: During severe cold snaps over the past two winters, the US grid avoided the need for these controlled blackouts.

  • How?: The power industry 1) applied lessons from past winter storms 2) secured advanced commitments from generators and 3) followed NERC cold weather reliability standards. The report also credited federal emergency orders, which enabled some plants to run at maximum output and bypass certain environmental rules.

  • Yes, but: There’s still room for improvement, including better load forecasting, more collaboration between the electric and natural gas sectors, and more natural gas infrastructure, FERC Attorney-Adviser Hampden Macbeth wrote on LinkedIn. 

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