By GARRY RAYNO, InDepthNH.org
CONCORD — Power supplies should be sufficient in New England this summer due to new power generation, large-scale battery storage and the growth of small solar generation, according to grid operator ISO-New England Thursday.
Summer continues to have the highest demand for electricity, and the grid operator expects consumer demand will peak at 25,288 megawatts under normal weather conditions, while during very hot and humid weather peak demand will be 26,473 MW, with nearly 29,000 MW available.
ISO New England says the peak of 26,473 MW will be challenging particularly if a generating unit shuts down or other factors intervene as happened last year, but does not anticipate the need for public conservation or rolling blackouts.
Several new large resources connected to the region’s power system since last summer including the New England Clean Energy Connect transmission line, the Vineyard Wind offshore project and several grid-scale battery projects.
Behind-the-meter solar photovoltaic installations continue to grow in the region and are projected to reduce demand by more than 1,700 MW this summer during the peak hour of demand on days with normal weather conditions.
The small-scale solar generation has changed the highest demand from mid-afternoon during the summer to the early evening hours of 5 to 6 p.m., officials say.
The region currently has more than 8,000 MW of behind the meter solar which pushes the peak hour of grid demand later in the day, when the sun is lower in the sky and production from solar PV systems is reduced.
New England relies on a variety of generating resources, including wind, solar, natural gas, oil, nuclear, hydro, and biomass. Imports from New York and Canada, as well as resources paid to reduce energy usage, also help keep supply and demand balanced, ISO officials say.
Prior to the summer, the grid operator compares its projected supplies to consumer demand across numerous weather scenarios.
ISO New England enhanced its modeling to better account for the changing power system with both consumer demand and generating resources more weather dependent.
The results of these analyses indicate the region is well positioned entering the summer months, officials say.
System operators have tools to balance supply and demand, including increasing production of online generation, dispatching stand-by units, requesting deferral of scheduled maintenance, increasing imports, and voluntary reductions of energy use and other energy conserving measures.
In severe conditions due to the duration and risk to the power system, operators can request public conservation and controlled outages, but don’t believe they will be needed this summer.
Last summer the peak demand hit 26,586 MW June 24, while the all-time record is 28,130 MW Aug. 2, 2006.
Garry Rayno may be reached at garry.rayno@yahoo.com.