PJM has issued a Hot Weather Alert for the region it serves for July 18–20 with the onset of a heat wave across much of the Midwest and Atlantic Coast.
Hot Weather Alerts are issued when temperatures are expected to exceed 90 degrees Fahrenheit with high humidity, driving up demand for electricity. Temperatures are expected to be in the 90s through the weekend and into Monday for much of the PJM footprint, which encompasses 13 states, from Illinois to North Carolina to New Jersey, and includes the District of Columbia.
If temperatures are as predicted for Monday, PJM could approach the summer forecasted peak of approximately 148,000 MW. Recent hot weather in the PJM region resulted in preliminary peaks in the 142,000–145,000 MW range.
Last summer’s peak demand measured more than 151,000 MW on July 19. (One megawatt can power approximately 800 homes.)
Read more about how PJM is prepared to meet the demand for electricity this summer and maintain system reliability.
Pandemic Impacts
Since March, with the onset of business closures and social distancing restrictions related to the coronavirus pandemic, both weekday peaks and total energy use have come in at about 8 percent less than what would have been anticipated in a typical year.
This impact has eased in recent weeks as some businesses have begun to reopen. Since mid-June, weekday peaks have been down approximately 2 percent on average. Over the same time period, overall energy use on weekdays is down roughly 5 percent due to COVID-19-related impacts.
What Is a Hot Weather Alert?
A Hot Weather Alert prepares transmission or generation facilities for extreme hot or humid conditions which may pose capacity issues for the grid. To reliably serve demand, transmission and generation operators are asked to identify any maintenance or testing on equipment that can be deferred or canceled so as to make all equipment and resources available. PJM’s reserve resources are available to cover for generation that may be unexpectedly unavailable or to help meet demand that is higher than forecasted.
Tools to Track PJM Operations
Track PJM’s markets and operations in real time on the Markets and Operations page on PJM.com or through the PJM Now app for iPhone and Android. Learn more about how PJM prepares for summer operations on the Learning Center.
Original source: PJM