PJM can reliably handle more natural gas, renewables

The PJM Interconnection grid can remain reliable in the future with the addition of more natural gas and renewable resources, including wind and solar power, according to a new report.
Read full article at Kallanish Energy
The electric-grid operator, serving 65 million people in all or parts of 13 states plus the District of Columbia, stretching from the East Coast to the Midwest, said it found no upper limit to the amount of natural gas generation that could be reliably introduced into the system, Kallanish Energy reports.

It said electric portfolios relying on up to 86% natural gas capacity could remain reliable. The natural gas is coming from the Marcellus and Utica shales in the Appalachian Basin.

Relying too much on natural gas does create new resilience risks not accounted for under traditional reliability standards when severe weather events occur, Pennsylvania-based PJM warned.

The study concluded PJM’s current energy portfolio is reliable and diverse.

The report analyzed 360 variations on electric generation portfolios. Those with the best reliability scores relied heavily on natural gas, nuclear and coal. Portfolios with the largest shares of wind and solar tended to have the lower reliability scores.