Dive Brief:
- The PJM Interconnection lost about 38,000 MW of power plants because of freezing weather, but was able to narrowly avoid rolling blackouts by importing power from other regions and voluntary demand response efforts.
- PJM set a peak demand record of 141,500 MW Tuesday night, up from 136,675 MW in February 2007.
- Real-time power prices peaked at about $1,800/MWh during peak periods on Tuesday.
Dive Insight:
PJM imported about 8,000 MW from other regions, with about half coming from the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, a reminder of how important transmission connections are. Demand response and conservation also helped avoid rolling blackouts, but the efforts were voluntary. PJM can only use emergency demand response during the summer. The grid operator has asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for changes to its tariff that would make obligatory demand response available all year.