For the season ahead, PJM forecasts summer energy use, or load, to peak at just over 154,000 MW, for which PJM should have adequate reserves to maintain reliability.
Generation May Fall Short In Extreme Demand
This season also marks the first time in PJM’s annual assessment, however, that available generation capacity may fall short of required reserves in an extreme planning scenario that would result in an all-time PJM peak load of more than 166,000 MW.
Under such circumstances, PJM would call on contracted demand response programs to meet its required reserve needs.
Demand response programs pay customers who have opted in to reduce their electricity use in times of system emergencies.
The National Weather Service predicts hotter-than-normal summer conditions, especially in the Atlantic seaboard states.
PJM’s record summer peak load was set at 165,563 MW in 2006. Last year, PJM’s summer peak was about 152,700 MW, and 147,000 MW in 2023.
PJM has approximately 179,200 MW of generation capacity this summer, as well as approximately 7,900 MW of contracted demand response.
One megawatt can power about 800 homes.
PJM continues to voice concerns about the supply and demand imbalance driven by generator retirements and the slow build of new resources in the face of accelerating demand growth.
PJM documented this confluence of trends in the 2023 PJM paper Resource Retirements, Replacements and Risks (PDF).
Renewable resources will be more important than ever this summer to maintain reliability.
PJM plans to issue guidance for inverter-based resource owners, typically solar and wind, to take necessary steps so that units adhere to necessary standards and operational guidelines to support reliable grid operations.
“This outlook at a record peak heat scenario reflects our years-long and mounting concerns as we plan for enough resources to maintain grid reliability,” said Aftab Khan, Executive Vice President – Operations, Planning & Security. “All resources within PJM’s footprint should be prepared to respond when called upon.”
A dedicated team of operators uses sophisticated technology to balance supply and demand and direct the power grid 24/7 from PJM’s control rooms.
They prepare multiple potential scenarios that could be impacted by weather, emergency conditions or equipment failure. They adjust resource output with changes in demand and ensure that no transmission lines or facilities are overloaded.
The team also watches for unusual conditions and reacts to them in order to protect the electricity supply.
Click Here for the PJM Announcement.
PJM Interconnection ensures the reliability of the high-voltage electric power system serving 67 million people in all or parts of Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia.
Resource Links - PJM:
-- PJM: FERC Approves Expanded Role For Demand Response To Enhance Reliability
-- PJM Releases 2024 Annual Report - Reliable & Resilient
Resource Links - Grid:
-- PJM Interconnection: 51 Generation Projects, 9.3 GW To Move Forward To Address Near-Term Electricity Demand Growth-- 39 Upgrades, 12 New Construction [PaEN]
-- North American Electric Reliability Corp. Files Proposed Cold Weather Standard To Improve Reliability For Natural Gas-fired, Other Electric Generators [PaEN]
-- PUC Invites Stakeholder Comments On The Issue Of The Adequacy Of Electricity Supplies In Pennsylvania [Background On Issue] [PaEN]
-- 30 Stakeholder Comments Received By PUC On Adequacy Of Electricity Supplies In Pennsylvania; Increasing Natural Gas Power Plant Reliability To 90-95% Would Mean No Imminent Capacity Problem [PaEN]
-- House, Senate Members Introduce Gov. Shapiro's 'Lightning' Energy Plan To Lower Energy Costs, Create Jobs, Protect Pennsylvania From Global Energy Instability [PaEN]
-- New Report: Fixing PJM’s Broken Electric Generation Approval Process Can Lower Energy Costs, Create Jobs Across The Mid-Atlantic [PaEN]
-- DEP Releases 2024 Climate Change Action Plan Update; 2024 Climate Impacts Assessment Report [PaEN]
-- Pennsylvania’s Electric Grid Is Dependent On One Fuel To Generate 59% Of Our Electricity; Market Moving To Renewables + Storage [PaEN]
-- Gov. Shapiro: FERC Approves Settlement With PJM To Prevent Unnecessary Prices Hikes, Save Consumers Over $21 Billion On Electric Bills [PaEN]
-- PA Senate Republican Leader: ‘Every Consumer Of Electricity In This Commonwealth Is Going To Pay More;’ ‘What You’re Going To Face Is Going To Be Really Unpleasant’ [PaEN]
Related Articles This Week - Energy:
-- PA Senate Committees To Hold May 12 Hearing On PJM Grid Reliability Initiative, Electric Generation Markets Update [PaEN]
-- PJM Releases List Of 51 Fast Tracked Power Projects To Provide 9.3 GW Of Power-- 7 In PA With Power Potential Of 1.2 GW [PaEN]
-- House Energy Committee Hears Testimony On How PA Has Enough Geothermal Energy To Meet 100% Of Pennsylvania’s Electricity, Heating Energy Needs [PaEN]
-- PA Ranks 49th In US For Renewable Energy Growth; Delays In Adding Clean Energy To The Grid Will Cost Electric Ratepayers Billions [PaEN]
-- Evangelical Environmental Network Celebrates House Passage Of Community Solar Energy Legislation In PA [PaEN]
-- PPL Residential Electric Price To Compare To Increase To 12.491 Cents/kWh On June 1, Up From 10.771 Cents-- 15.9% [PaEN]
-- PUC Launches Post-Storm Review Of Utility Response, System Resilience Following Major Southwestern PA Storm [PaEN]
-- PA Senate Republicans Vote To Punish Communities Taking Steps To Protect Their Residents From Health, Environmental Impacts Of Shale Gas Drilling [PaEN]
-- Environmental Health Project: 34 Organizations Sign Letter Urging Pennsylvania To Adopt Measures To Better Protect Public Health, Environment From The Impacts Of Shale Gas Drilling [PaEN]
NewsClips:
-- PublicSource.org: $10 Billion Natural Gas Power Plant Would Transform Homer City, Indiana County, But Into What?
-- Washington & Jefferson Center For Energy Policy & Management: Report: PJM Grid Operator At Inflection Point, Reform Needed To Reduce Energy Costs, Increase Clean Energy Resources
-- Utility Dive: PJM, Others Urge FERC To Dismiss Ratepayer Advocates’ Capacity Auction Complaint
-- Utility Dive: PJM Fast-Tracks 11.8 GW, Mainly Gas Power Projects To Bolster Grid Supplies
-- WHYY: No A/C, Fans Through LIHEAP In PA This Summer Due To Federal Funding Cuts
-- Post-Gazette: Residents Struggle With No Power, Spoiled Food, Growing Frustration A Week After Deadly Storm
-- DEP: Power When It Matters Most: How Microgrids Are Making Pennsylvania More Resilient [PDF of Article]
-- Sen. Yaw Senate Bill 349 To Encourage Responsible Solar Development, Protect Landowners Approved By Senate 49 to 1 [Sen. Laughlin (R-Erie) Voted No]
-- PennEnvironment: Delaware County Officials Hold May 10 Expo Promoting Renewable Energy, Environmental Protection
-- Joint State Government Commission Releases Report On Utility-Scale Solar Energy Facilities And Farming In Pennsylvania
-- Scranton Times: Throop Boro Approves Landfill Gas Plant Expansion At Keystone Landfill
-- Financial Times: Sunoco Strikes $9 Billion Deal To Buy Canadian Rival Parkland To Form North American Fuel Distributor Giant
-- Reuters: Exclusive: US, Russia Explore Ways To Restore Russian Natural Gas Flows To Europe, Sources Say
-- Reuters: Global Shipments Of Energy Products Slowing With Global Economy ‘Stunned’ By President’s Tariffs
-- Financial Times: US Oil Output Has Peaked Amid Price Fall, Top Shale Producer Warns
[Posted: May 9, 2025] PA Environment Digest
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