Once the warmer weather returned following the extreme cold conditions last week, natural gas once again became New England’s electricity generation fuel of choice.
Last week when the cold temperatures strained supplies of natural gas for heating and electricity generation, usage of the fuel in power plants faded. Nuclear power became the fuel of choice in the region, and more coal and oil plants fired up to make up for the loss of the natural gas plants. Nuclear, coal, and oil plants combined made up 58 percent of the power generated in New England last Tuesday.
The firing up of the coal and oil plants caused electricity prices to spike, as those commodities are more expensive and the plants are less efficient.
As the warm weather returned, natural gas demand decreased and its power production increased. On Tuesday afternoon, natural gas plants made up 42 percent of the power generated in New England; nuclear made up 36 percent while coal made 5 percent and oil had 0 percent.
Regional power grid administrator ISO New England warns of the continued dependence on natural gas for electricity generation, especially as more homeowners and businesses convert to natural gas for heating.
