When the grid gets desperate, coal still answers the phone. (EIA)
What we mean: As Winter Storm Fern pummeled the Lower 48, coal-fired generation jumped 31% week-over-week, significantly outpacing the 14% rise in natural gas.
While wind, solar, and hydro faded in the freeze, coal stepped up to capture 21% of last week’s total electricity supply, surpassing nuclear to become the second-largest power source behind nat gas (38%).