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U.S. EIA: Pennsylvania To Add 5.2 Gigawatts Of Natural Gas-Fired Electric Generating Capacity In 2018

The U.S. Energy Information Administration Monday reported it expects 32 gigawatts of new electric generating capacity to come online in the U.S. in 2018-- 21 gigawatts of natural gas-fired generation (5.2 GW in Pennsylvania alone), 5 gigawatts of wind and 4 gigawatts of solar.

In 2017, renewables accounted for 55 percent of the 21 GW of U.S. capacity additions, the fourth consecutive year in which renewables made up more than half.

As of February 2018, renewables accounted for 22 percent of total currently operating U.S. electricity generating capacity. Generators’ planned online dates for the remainder of 2018 are based on data reported to EIA in the Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory.

A few more specifics--

-- Natural gas: About half of the 21 GW of natural gas-fired generation capacity EIA expects to come online by the end of 2018 are combined-cycle units to be added to the PJM Regional Transmission Organization, which spans parts of several Mid-Atlantic and Midwestern states.

In the PJM region, Pennsylvania plans to add 5.2 GW; Maryland will add 1.9 GW, and Virginia will add 1.9 GW. Most of the new capacity is being added on the eastern side of the PJM region along the Transcontinental, the Dominion Transmission, and the Eastern Texas Transmission Pipelines.

If these numbers hold, it will mean for the first time in history there will be more installed natural gas-fired electric generating capacity in Pennsylvania than coal-fired.

The PA Public Utility Commission 2017 Electric Power Outlook Report (the latest available) said there was 12,686 MW of installed coal-fired generation in 2016 and 11,991 MW of natural gas generation. The addition of 5.2 gigawatts of natural gas capacity in 2018 brings the total natural gas up to 17,191 MW-- not counting the capacity added in 2017.

The PUC reported in terms of actual generation in 2016-- 38 percent was nuclear, 30 percent was coal, 27 percent natural gas, 2 percent wind, hydro and miscellaneous.

-- Wind: Most of the 1,196 MW of new wind capacity that came online in January and February 2018 was added in states that already have significant wind capacity such as Texas, Oklahoma, and Iowa. In Texas, two utility-scale batteries totaling 20 MW were co-located at wind facilities.

EIA expects five gigawatts of capacity to come online by the end of 2018. Of those 5 GW, 2 GW are in Texas, the state with the most wind capacity currently.

-- Solar: About 90 percent of Florida’s solar capacity has come online since 2016. In January 2018, Florida Power & Light completed four solar photovoltaic projects totaling 300 MW.

FPL plans for another four projects totaling 300 MW to have come online by March 2018. Upon completion, these eight projects will account for 54 percent of Florida’s utility-scale solar capacity.

By the end of 2018, 4 GW of solar PV are expected to come online in the United States. More than half of the 2018 solar PV additions will be added in California, North Carolina, and Texas.

Click Here to read the full report.

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