On January 22, PJM Interconnection announced a preliminary record for winter demand at around 8:15 a.m. Wednesday, January 22 with instantaneous peak load coming in at approximately 145,000 MW, while exporting nearly 8,000 MW to our neighbors.

This exceeds PJM’s all-time winter instantaneous peak of approximately 143,700 MW, set in February 2015, pending the availability of verified metered load data.

PJM noted that significant demand – close to 140,000 MW – is forecasted for Wednesday evening and Thursday morning, so Operations continues to monitor performance of the generation fleet and transmission systems.

“We also worked closely with member companies to help resolve any cold-weather issues before the deep freeze set in,” said Mike Bryson, Sr. Vice President – Operations. “All of those steps served to help PJM and our members get ready for the cold weather. They have performed remarkably thus far, and I am grateful for their efforts.”

PJM and its member companies took a number of steps before the onset of the frigid cold that helped prepare the system for the most difficult periods Tuesday and Wednesday.

These included:

-- Cold Weather Advisory and Cold Weather Alert: Helps members get engaged with preparing for the cold weather

-- Conservative Operations declaration: Helps generators line up gas purchases with the gas market, especially over holiday weekends

-- Maintenance Outage Recall: Maximizes generator availability by requiring generators that were out for maintenance to come back in service

-- Low Voltage Alert: Maximizes transmission system capability

-- Maximum Generation Alert: Issued Tuesday to alert neighboring regions that electricity exports from PJM may be curtailed, if necessary

PJM was exporting close to 8,000 MW of electricity to neighbors at the peak demand Wednesday morning and as much as 9,000 MW at other points in the so-called “arctic outbreak.”

Bryson noted that interchange with neighbors can go both ways, and PJM has depended on its neighbors in the past.

PJM’s preliminary loads are calculated from raw telemetry data and are approximate figures.

Verified metered loads are provided by electric distribution companies and represent the best-quality level of load within their zones, with adjustments to data occurring up to 90 days after the actual date.

Click Here for PJM’s announcement.

Extreme Cold Alert!

-- Public Utility Commission Urges Consumers To Prepare For Extreme Cold Next Week [PaEN]

-- Shapiro Administration Urges Readiness In Advance Of Dangerous Cold Weather

-- PJM Interconnection Issues 'Maximum Generation Alert' For Jan. 22; All Available Generation Resources May Be Committed To Meet High Power Demands,  Exports May Be Curtailed  [PaEN]

-- PJM Interconnection: New All-Time Peak Electricity Demand Possible Jan. 20-22; PJM Working With Gas Generators To Try To Get Them Online Before Extreme Cold Hits  [PaEN]

-- Reuters: About 12% Of North Dakota’s Oil Output Shut Down, 11% Of Gas Shut Down By Cold Weather

-- Bloomberg: Rare Snow Imperils Texas LNG Gas Exports, Shuts Louisiana Roads

PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - January 18 to 24: DEP Issues Abandoned Well Plugging Order; Well Leaks Gas For 9 Months [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - January 25 [PaEN]

-- DEP Posted 90 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In January 25 PA Bulletin  [PaEN]

Related Articles:

-- Senate Environmental Committee Meets Jan. 27 On Establishing An Independent Energy Office, Eliminate Carbon Pollution Reduction Program Covering Power Plants   [PaEN]

-- PA Senate Republicans Reintroduce Bills To Eliminate State Appeals Of Pipeline Permits; Limit Grounds For Appeal Of Any DEP Permits; Punish Communities For Protecting Their Constituents Against Shale Gas Drilling Impacts  [PaEN]

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Oil & Gas Companies Need Greater Incentives To Plug Their Old Wells - Raise Bond Rates Upfront For Plugging  [PaEN]

-- Dept. Of Health, Penn State Project ECHO Host Feb. 13 Webinar On Caring For Persons Living And Working In Communities Involved In Oil & Natural Gas Extraction  [PaEN]

-- EQB Invites Comments On Corrections To RACT Air Quality Regulations That May Affect Natural Gas-Fired Power Plants; 3 Hearings Set  [PaEN]

-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Approved 310 Shale Gas Well Pad Water Use General Permits In 2024  [PaEN]

-- PJM Interconnection: Extreme Cold Produces PJM Record For Winter Electricity Demand; Maximum Generation Alert Remains In Effect Into Thursday  [PaEN]

-- New Federal Administration Reverses LNG Gas Export Facility Permit Pause, Extends Comment Period On LNG Impact Study  [PaEN]

-- New Federal Administration Issues Executive Order Declaring A National Energy Emergency; Order Repealing Other Energy, Climate Orders; Regulatory Freeze  [PaEN]

NewsClips:

-- Financial Times: Wall Street Will Stymie President’s US Oil, Gas Surge Plan, Say Shale Bosses; Lower Prices Will Not Make Companies ‘Drill, Baby, Drill’

-- Post-Gazette: New Administration Reverses Pause On New LNG Gas Export Project Permits [Helps Pave Way For Potential LNG Terminal In Philadelphia]

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: Billions Have Been Allocated To PA From Federal Bipartisan Infrastructure, Inflation Reduction Acts, New Administration Ordered Halt To Disbursements  [Water Infrastructure, Mine Reclamation, Conventional Oil & Gas Well Plugging, $396 million in RISE PA decarbonization funding]

-- CanaryMedia.com: Executive Order Freezes Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Inflation Reduction Act Funding For 90 Day Review [Water Infrastructure, Mine Reclamation, Conventional Oil & Gas Well Plugging, $396 million in RISE PA decarbonization funding]

-- Warren Times/AP: President Pivots To Pro-Oil And Gas Policies, But Likes Renewable Geothermal

-- Observer-Reporter: ARCH2 Hydrogen Hub Discussed At Washington & Jefferson College Public Outreach Session

[Posted: January 22, 2025]

1/27/2025