PROVIDENCE – Barring extreme weather conditions, New England electricity suppliers should have enough power to meet demand even on the hottest days this summer, according to ISO New England Inc.
The regional group that oversees New England’s electric power systems and transmission lines on Monday released a statement predicting peak summer demand will reach 24,811 megawatts. Above-average weather could push the peak up to 26,711 megawatts, the release stated.
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Even with an extended heat wave, the region should have sufficient power to meet peak demand, based on the estimated 31,000 megawatt capacity from various fuel sources, generators that produce electricity and imported power, the release stated. This capacity also includes 2,600 megawatts of energy-efficiency measures designed to reduce demand on the electric power system during peak times. This includes energy-efficient appliances and lighting and advanced heating and cooling technologies.
Solar panels will also work to offset electricity demands, anticipated to cut about 800 megawatts of power during peak demand from power stored through the 4,000 megawatts of solar farms and panels across New England. Meanwhile, state and federal incentive programs and those through utility providers are working to increase battery storage systems, which could capture and hold on to energy from renewable sources to use during peak demand.
These forecasts do not take into account “unprecedented, extreme conditions,” such as the weather events that have occurred in California and Texas in the last year. However, electricity suppliers and system operators also have ways to deal with higher-than-expected demand or emergencies, such as controlled power outages, importing emergency power from nearby regions and asking consumers to voluntarily conserve energy, the release stated.
In 2020, peak electricity demand reached 25,120 megawatts on July 27. The regional record was set in August 2006, when demand hit 28,130 megawatts during a prolonged heat wave.
