Diversity Helps NYISO, but Gas Still Rules
New York has adequate resources and improved operational practices to face the upcoming winter, a NYISO official told FERC on Thursday. But the infrastructure must still perform, Wes Yeomans, vice president for operations, told the commission.
New York still has a wide diversity of resources, with hydro at 11% of generating capacity and six nuclear facilities representing 14% of capacity, Yeomans said. But the overwhelming resource of choice is natural gas — representing 55% of capacity statewide and 95% in New York City.
More than 80% of gas generation can switch to oil when heating homes and businesses takes priority during cold snaps. “That really is the cornerstone of how we maintain reliability,” Yeomans said.
