Electric grid operator PJM has issued precautionary alerts ahead of an extended period of frigid weather expected for the region PJM serves – 13 states including New Jersey and the District of Columbia.
From now until Jan. 27, and possibly extending through Jan. 30, temperatures are expected to reach single digits throughout the region and potentially below zero in PJM’s western region. Peak demand has the potential to exceed 130,000 megawatts (MW) for seven straight days next week, a winter streak that PJM has never experienced.
Depending on temperatures, PJM could set a new all-time winter peak load on Jan. 27. Additionally, that cold could extend into early February, so PJM is taking additional precautions with its generation and transmission owners to prepare.
PJM expects to have 180,800 MW of winter operational capacity to serve its seasonal forecasted peak demand. This expectation is based on PJM and the PJM resources continuing to take operational steps to improve generator performance during extreme winter conditions.
“This is a formidable arctic cold front coming our way, and it will impact our neighboring systems as much as it affects PJM,” said Mike Bryson, Sr. vice president – operations. “We will be relying on our generation fleet to perform as well as they did during last year’s record winter peak.”
A cold weather alert is a routine procedure PJM issues in advance of significantly cold weather conditions expected for all or parts of the region PJM serves.
This is meant to give generation owners ample time to prepare their units to operate during pending cold weather and to provide information to PJM about their operating availability, capabilities and limitations to help PJM operators plan for the extreme weather.
