PJM Interconnection Issued Hot Weather Alert For Wednesday, Aug. 23 In Western Region, Including Part Of PA; Aug. 22 Alert Remains In Effect

On August 22, the PJM Interconnection issued a Hot Weather Alert for its Western Region for August 23 as temperatures are expected to reach the mid-to-upper 90s with high humidity in that region.

A Hot Weather Alert helps to prepare transmission and generation personnel and facilities for extreme heat and/or humidity that may cause capacity problems on the grid. Temperatures in PJM’s Western Region are forecast to exceed 90 degrees, which drives up the demand for electricity.

In Pennsylvania, the Western Region in PJM is made up of the following transmission zones and control areas:

Duquesne Light Company

FirstEnergy South – aka Allegheny Power Systems (West Penn Power, Mon Power, Potomac Edison)

FirstEnergy West – aka American Transmission Systems, Inc. (Penn Power, Ohio Edison, The Illuminating Company and Toledo Edison)

The remainder of the Western Region includes--

American Electric Power (AEP Ohio, Appalachian Power, Indiana Michigan Power and Kentucky Power)

American Municipal Power Transmission

ComEd

Cleveland Public Power

Dayton Power & Light

Duke Energy Ohio and Duke Energy Kentucky

East Kentucky Power Cooperative

ITC Interconnection, LLC

Ohio Valley Electric Corporation

Aug. 22 Alert Remains In Effect

A Hot Weather Alert remains in effect for the entire PJM footprint for Aug. 22 as parts of the region PJM serves are expected to have temperatures reach around 90 degrees. PJM is also coordinating with its neighboring grid operators as other regions experience excessive heat and ongoing high electricity demand.

As of 8 a.m. Aug. 22, PJM expects to serve a forecasted load across the RTO of around 125,000 MW on Aug. 22 and around 128,000 MW on Aug. 23.

The forecasted summer peak demand for electricity is approximately 156,000 MW, but PJM has performed reliability studies at even higher loads – in excess of 163,000 MW.

PJM’s current peak demand for this summer occurred July 27 and was 148,000 MW. 

The all-time recorded peak electricity demand on PJM was 165,563 MW on Aug. 2, 2006.

Click Here for a copy of the Hot Weather Alert.

Visit the PJM Interconnection website for more information affecting the operational of the regional electric grid.

PJM is a regional transmission organization that coordinates the movement of wholesale electricity in all or parts of 13 states and the District of Columbia, including Pennsylvania.

[Posted: August 22, 2023]  PA Environment Digest