[USA] ComEd announces expansion of 765 kV substation in Illinois to support wind and solar interconnection

On December 12, 2023, ComEd announced an expansion of its 765 kW Wilton Center substation, which the utility says will support utility-scale onshore wind and solar projects in Illinois and the larger PJM energy market.[1] The substation expansion is expected to be completed in late 2026. The Wilton Center substation, constructed in 1968 near Joliet, Illinois, supports ComEd’s highest voltage transmission lines, which are used for long-distance power transmission because they minimize the amount of power lost as electricity moves from one location to the next. The facility will be expanded by approximately 50%. Work will include adding new circuit breakers, transformers, relay switches, network data, and control systems. When the expansion is completed, the substation should be able to support five wind farms and two solar farms with the capacity for up to 2,450 MW of renewable energy.

Currently, ComEd is currently working on 13 wind projects throughout Illinois, amounting to 3,120 MW of potential wind generation. One of the projects that will be supported by the Wilton Center substation is the 850 MW Heritage Prairie wind farm. The farm, which also includes 300 MW of solar generation, will be the largest wind interconnection in northern Illinois and the largest onshore wind project to date in PJM.

[1] https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231212571627/en/ComEd-Expanding-High-Voltage-Substation-in-Wilton-Center-to-Enable-Largest-Cluster-of-Wind-and-Solar-Projects-in-Illinois-and-PJM-Region

[USA] DOE report: Salton Sea's lithium supply could fuel U.S. clean energy expansion

A report released by the Department of Energy (DOE) on November 28, 2023, found that given expected technology advances, California’s Salton Sea region could produce more than 3,400 kilotons of lithium, enough to support over 375 million batteries for electric vehicles (EVs).[1] The mineral is critical for reaching the Biden administration’s goal of net-zero emissions by 2050 as it is key in the production of batteries for storage and EVs. Currently, the U.S. relies primarily on imported lithium. However, the DOE’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) found that with technology advancements, the vast supply of lithium in the Salton Sea could be obtained via direct lithium extraction (DLE)  from geothermal brines, a byproduct of geothermal electricity generation that often has high concentrations of minerals. The Salton Sea Known Geothermal Resource Area (KGRA) has about 400 MW of installed geothermal capacity, and up to 2,950 MW is possible in the region. According to a report from the California Energy Commission, Salton Sea KGRA is believed to have the highest concentration of lithium contained in geothermal brines in the world.

[1] https://www.energy.gov/eere/articles/us-department-energy-analysis-confirms-californias-salton-sea-region-be-rich-domestic#:~:text=Conducted%20by%20DOE's%20Lawrence%20Berkeley,the%20total%20number%20of%20vehicles

[USA] BOEM approves sixth commercial-scale offshore wind project

 On November 21, 2023, the Bureau of Ocean Management (BOEM) announced that it has approved the Empire Wind offshore wind project, the sixth approval of a commercial-scale offshore wind energy project under the Biden administration.[1] The president aims to deploy 30 GW of offshore wind energy capacity by 2030. BOEM has committed to advancing 16 offshore wind projects by 2025. Empire Wind US LLC, a joint venture of Equinor and BP, will develop two offshore wind facilities: Empire Wind 1 and Empire Wind 2. The projects will be about 12 nautical miles (nm) south of Long Island, New York, and have a capacity of 2,076 MW. BOEM estimates that the projects will support over 830 jobs annually during construction and about 300 jobs annually during operations. The Record of Decision includes measures aimed at avoiding, minimizing, and mitigating the potential impacts that may result from the project. Those measures include a commitment from Empire Wind to establish fishery mitigation funds to compensate commercial and for-hire recreational fishers for any losses directly arising from the project.

[1] https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/biden-harris-administration-approves-sixth-offshore-wind-project

[USA] EIA: North American LNG capacity to increase 113% by 2027

An analysis released by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) on November 13, 2023, found that North America’s capacity to ship liquefied natural gas overseas is expected to more than double through 2027.[1] North America’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) export capacity will increase 113% to 24.3 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) from 11.4 Bcf/d today. The EIA attributed this increase to LNG export terminals coming online in Mexico and Canada, as well as LNG projects under construction in the U.S. By the end of 2027, the EIA estimates LNG export capacity will grow by 1.1 Bcf/d in Mexico, 2.1 Bcf/d in Canada, and 9.7 Bcf/d in the United States. Five LNG projects are under construction in Texas and Louisiana, the EIA said. In Mexico, developers are currently constructing three projects—Fast LNG Altamira offshore and onshore and Fast LNG Lakach, both located on Mexico's east coast, and Energia Costa Azul, located on Mexico's west coast. Two LNG export projects with a combined capacity of 2.1 Bcf/d are under construction in British Columbia on Canada’s west coast.

[1] https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=60944

[USA] DOE offers $3.5B for battery manufacturing

On November 15, 2023, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced up to $3.5 billion from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) to boost domestic production of advanced batteries and battery materials.[1] The funding is part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda and will create new, retrofitted, and expanded domestic facilities for battery-grade processed critical minerals, battery precursor materials, battery components, and cell and pack manufacturing. The opportunity is administered by DOE’s Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains (MESC). This funding opportunity is the second phase of $6 billion in total provided by the BIL. In the first phase, the DOE awarded fifteen projects that could catalyze over $5.8 billion in public/private investment. This next phase will boost domestic battery materials processing as well as battery production. The DOE said it will prioritize projects that create jobs for low- and moderate-income communities and support the administration’s Justice40 Initiative, a plan that 40% of overall benefits from federal investments go to underserved communities.

The DOE will prioritize next-generation technologies and battery chemistries in addition to lithium-based technologies. Other focus areas include precursor production and manufacturing for medium- and heavy-duty vehicle markets. The department said it “is also calling for projects that will increase separation of battery-grade critical materials, expand production facilities for cathode and anode materials production, and expand battery component manufacturing facilities (i.e., projects that will attract further investment into topic areas solicited in the program’s first phase).” Concept papers are due January 9, 2024, while applications are due March 19, 2024.

[1] https://www.energy.gov/articles/biden-harris-administration-announces-35-billion-strengthen-domestic-battery-manufacturing

[USA] ExxonMobil to produce lithium in Arkansas

On November 13, 2023, ExxonMobil announced plans to become a leading producer of lithium.[1] The company’s first phase of North American lithium production has begun in southwest Arkansas. ExxonMobil acquired the rights to 120,000 gross acres of the Smackover formation in southern Arkansas – considered one of the most prolific lithium resources of its type in North America—in early 2023. ExxonMobil said it “is working with local and state officials to enable the successful scale-up of Arkansas’ emerging lithium industry.” ExxonMobil will use conventional oil and gas drilling methods to access lithium-rich saltwater from reservoirs about 10,000 feet underground, then utilize direct lithium extraction (DLE) technology to separate lithium from the saltwater. The lithium will be converted onsite to battery-grade material, while the remaining saltwater will be re-injected into the underground reservoirs. The process produces lower carbon emissions than hard rock mining and requires less land.

Lithium is essential to the production of lithium-ion batteries. Demand for lithium is expected to quadruple by 2030, but nearly all lithium is currently produced outside North America. The first production target for the project is set for 2027, and the company is evaluating growth opportunities globally. By 2030, ExxonMobil aims to be producing enough lithium to supply the manufacturing needs of over a million electric vehicles (EVs) per year.

[1] https://corporate.exxonmobil.com/news/news-releases/2023/1113_exxonmobil-drilling-first-lithium-well-in-arkansas

[USA] PG&E has undergrounded 197 miles of power lines in 2023

On November 1, 2023, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) announced as of October 30, 197 miles of powerlines have been undergrounded and energized so far in 2023.[1] That tops the 180 miles of undergrounded powerlines in 2022 and the 73 miles in 2021, which was the year that the utility’s 10,000-mile Undergrounding Program was launched. The end-of-the-year target for 2023 is 350 miles. According to PG&E, undergrounding eliminates nearly 98% of the risk of wildfire ignition from electrical equipment for about $3.40 per month per customer from 2023-2026. According to the press release, an average of about 20 miles of undergrounded line will be energized each week through the end of the year. PG&E customers in Placerville, Murphys, Elk, and Potter Valley are among those now being served and protected by underground powerlines. Expanding PG&E's electric system underground in High Fire-Risk Areas (HFRAs) will help reduce wildfires caused by utility equipment, improve reliability, and reduce the need for safety-related power outages.

[1] https://www.pge.com/en/newsroom.html?pageID=b19403d2-b47d-495d-9124-851ffea6771f&ts=1698796800979

[USA] NARUC releases report analyzing nuclear in utility IRPs

On November 8, 2023, the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) released a new report analyzing 17 utility integrated resource plan (IRP) filings submitted between August 2019 and March 2023 to identify important trends regarding nuclear energy for consideration by state utility regulators.[1] The report, titled Nuclear Generation in Long-Term Utility Resource Planning, identified three overarching trends. First, most regulated utilities are aware of advanced nuclear technologies, but the limited time horizon in many IRPs while the anticipated deployment dates for many advanced technologies fall outside that time frame. Furthermore, uncertainties around the technological maturity, costs, and financial risks, as well as persistent state-level prohibitions on the construction of new nuclear facilities, can deter utilities from including advanced nuclear in IRPs.

A second finding of the report is that several utilities included in NARUC’s review—PacifiCorp, Idaho Power, Duke Energy Carolinas, Duke Energy Progress, and the Tennessee Valley Authority—have explicitly included advanced nuclear in their IRPs. Third, most utilities propose keeping existing nuclear resources online to maintain reliability and progress toward decarbonization goals. This plan includes keeping ownership stakes in nuclear plants and extending the operating life of existing nuclear units. Key benefits of keeping existing nuclear online include employment, economic contributions to local communities, reliability, and clean energy.

[1] https://www.naruc.org/about-naruc/press-releases/new-report-reviews-nuclear-energy-in-long-term-utility-resource-planning/

[USA] Pennsylvania court rules against plan to join RGGI

On November 1, 2023, the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court ruled in a 4-1 decision that former Governor Tom Wolf’s (D) move to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) through executive action was an illegal tax.[1] RGGI is the longest-running mandatory greenhouse reduction program in the U.S. and includes eleven states, though Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) is attempting to leave the program. Pennsylvania would be the first major fossil-fuel-producing state to join the initiative. Former Governor Wolf sought to join RGGI in 2019 but was opposed by the Republican majority General Assembly. The state’s participation in RGGI had been on pause for over a year as Judge Michael Wojcik (D) had issued a preliminary injunction. According to the court, without authorization from the state legislature, RGGI is an unlawful tax. Judge Wojcik wrote in the majority opinion, “Stated simply, to pass constitutional muster, the Commonwealth’s participation in RGGI may only be achieved through legislation duly enacted by the Pennsylvania General Assembly, and not merely through the Rulemaking promulgated by" Pennsylvania regulators.

[1] https://cases.justia.com/pennsylvania/commonwealth-court/2023-247-m-d-2022.pdf?ts=1698852322

[USA] Duke Energy to build first system capable of producing, storing and combusting 100% green hydrogen in the U.S.

On October 27, 2023, Duke Energy announced that it will break ground on a demonstration project capable of producing, storing, and combusting 100% green hydrogen in DeBary, Florida, the first such project in the U.S.[1] The project will take place at Duke Energy Florida’s existing 74.5 MW Debary solar plant and is in collaboration with Sargent and Lundy and GE Vernova. The solar plant will provide energy for two 1-MW electrolyzer units that will separate water molecules into oxygen and hydrogen atoms. When energy demand peaks, stored hydrogen will be dispatched to a combustion turbine that will be upgraded using GE Vernova technology to run on a natural gas/hydrogen blend or up to 100% hydrogen. This will be the first combustion turbine in operation in the country running at such a high percentage of hydrogen. Duke said that construction will take about a year to complete and that it is aiming for an operational date in 2024.

[1] https://news.duke-energy.com/releases/duke-energy-announces-plans-to-build-and-operate-the-nations-first-system-capable-of-producing-storing-and-combusting-100-green-hydrogen-in-a-combustion-turbine-in-florida

[USA] PJM proposes nearly $5 billion in transmission projects

On October 31, 2023, PJM Interconnection staff recommended about $4.9 billion in transmission projects to help address reliability concerns related to data center growth, generator retirement, and new generation resource capacity in the Mid-Atlantic region.[1] As part of its planning process, the grid operator, which covers 13 states and Washington, D.C., establishes “windows” for transmission developers to offer solutions to certain transmission reliability needs. These needs are based on standards established by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC). Planning Window 3 sought proposals to address impacts to the grid from new electricity demand. The grid saw a 7,500 MW increase in demand due to data center additions to the system in Virginia and Maryland. The grid is also facing widespread effects of the retirement of more than 11,000 MW of generation across PJM’s footprint.

PJM’s recommended proposal was selected based on four criteria: effectiveness to meet system needs through 2028; ability to expand to meet system needs beyond 2028; minimizing of local impacts by using existing rights of way, where possible; and confidence in costs. PJM received 72 proposals from 10 entities, including six incumbent transmission owners. Under the recommendations, Dominion Energy would build transmission projects totaling about $2.5 billion, Exelon’s Potomac Electric Power would build projects totaling about $653 million, and Public Service Electric & Gas would build a $447 million project. FirstEnergy, LS Power, NextEra, and Transource would build other parts of the recommended plan. The proposal is set to be reviewed by the committee again at a December 5, 2023, meeting before going to the board.

[1] https://www.pjm.com/-/media/committees-groups/committees/teac/2023/20231031/20231031-item-15---reliability-analysis-update.ashx

[USA] FERC accepts ISO New England plan facilitating storage as transmission-only assets

On October 19, 2023, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) accepted a proposal from ISO New England (ISO-NE) to allow for energy storage to “play an important role in ensuring a reliable transmission system.”[1]  Storage as transmission-only assets (SATOAs), which may include a variety of storage resources like batteries and pumped hydro storage, would be owned and maintained by transmission companies, but ISO-NE system operators would control their use. Because they would be built only to serve a transmission reliability purpose, they will not compete in electricity markets and will have minimal effect on wholesale prices. These assets would used “under specific system conditions to prevent localized overloading after at least two unplanned equipment outages on the transmission system.” They may also be deployed as a last resort to help prevent or mitigate controlled outages if demand exceeds regionally available supply or to help with system recovery after an outage.

The new rules will not apply to or restrict other energy storage resources that already compete in the markets, which include almost 2,000 MW of pumped storage and more than 600 MW of new and existing battery storage resources. The rules would also not apply to or restrict the roughly 18,000 MW of battery resources proposed in ISO-NE’s Interconnection Request Queue or future projects looking to participate in the markets. Construction of SATOAs will depend on selection in ISO-NE’s open regional system planning process administered, similar to the way reliability-based system upgrades are handled today. FERC directed the ISO to submit a filing identifying the effective date of the SATOA revisions no less than 30 days prior to their implementation.

[1] https://isonewswire.com/2023/10/25/ferc-accepts-rules-allowing-storage-to-aid-transmission/?utm_source=isone&utm_medium=newsfeed

[USA] DOE releases draft road map for improving grid interconnection processes

On October 25, 2023, the Department of Energy (DOE) released a draft roadmap for transforming grid interconnection processes.[1] The draft plan was developed through the DOE’s Interconnection Innovation e-Xchange(i2X) stakeholder initiative and is intended to serve as a practical guide for implementing near- and long-term solutions to interconnect clean energy sources and to clear the existing backlog of renewable projects seeking to get built. New clean energy projects must go through complicated approval processes before they come online. The high volume of projects in the interconnection queue has led to uncertainties, delays, inequities, and increased costs. The draft plan focuses on four areas: increasing interconnection data access and transparency, improving the process (including speeding it up), promoting economic efficiency, and maintaining grid reliability. It calls for ensuring more equal access to interconnection queues. DOE released a request for information (RFI) to solicit input from interconnection stakeholders, and responses are due by November 22, 2023. The department expects to finalize the roadmap and release a draft second volume that focuses on the distribution grid in the coming months.

[1] https://www.energy.gov/eere/articles/doe-releases-draft-roadmap-improve-interconnection-clean-energy-resources-nations

[USA] Entergy proposes $1B grid hardening program in New Orleans

On October 17, 2023, Entergy New Orleans launched a $1 billion grid hardening program called “Operation: Gridiron.” [1] The initiative aims to make the New Orleans, Louisiana, grid stronger and prepare for more frequent, stronger storms. It was developed in response to a request by the city council following Hurricane Ida in 2021, and the company is now seeking approval for its plan from the council. The company would file progress reports with the city council every six months if approved. The plan would be put in place in two five-year phases. The proposed first phase would save customers about $216 million in storm restoration costs over 50 years. The company plans to recover costs via a “resilience and storm hardening” cost rider added to customer bills. Entergy said the plan would cut outage times by more than half and save customers millions of dollars. The proposed plan will upgrade thousands of poles to withstand 150 mph winds and harden 650 miles of power lines.

[1] https://www.entergynewsroom.com/news/entergy-new-orleans-announces-operation-gridiron-making-new-orleans-grid-stronger/

[USA] Qcells completes first solar plant expansion linked to IRA

On October 18, 2023, Qcells, part of Seoul-based Hanwha, announced that it had completed its Dalton, Georgia, solar panel factory expansion.[1] The company added 2 GW of solar capacity to the factory, bringing the factory’s total output to more than 5.1 GW per year. The Dalton factory will now manufacture nearly 30,000 solar panels on a daily basis. According to the company, the factory is now the largest manufacturing plant of its kind in the Western Hemisphere and the first solar panel expansion since the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Qcells CEO Justin Lee cited the IRA and Georgia’s collaboration as making the investment possible. The expansion is the first phase of a $2.5 billion investment Qcells announced in January.

Qcells said the expansion created 510 new jobs. It will assemble two new solar products: the Q.TRON G2 residential solar panel and a bifacial panel for commercial and utility markets. The company opened its first factory in Georgia in 2019 and initially hired 750 people to manufacture 1.7 GW of solar per year. Qcells said its first investment was made possible in part by the Section 201 tariffs imposed on solar cells. Qcells also has a planned factory located in Cartersville, Georgia, that will manufacture solar ingots, wafers, cells, and finished panels.

[1] https://us.qcells.com/blog/qcells-north-america-completes-dalton-factory-expansion/

[USA] DOE selects 7 hydrogen hubs for $7B IIJA funding

On October 13, 2023, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced that it had selected seven regional hydrogen hubs in Appalachia, California, the Gulf Coast, the Mid-Atlantic, the Midwest, the Pacific Northwest, and a Heartland hydrogen hub comprising Minnesota and the Dakotas.[1] The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) passed in 2021 set aside $8 billion to create Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs (H2Hubs) nationwide. $1 billion of this funding will be spent on initiatives to support demand for clean hydrogen. The selected hubs are expected to collectively produce three million metric tons of hydrogen annually, nearly a third of the 2030 U.S. production target. The DOE also said these hubs will reduce 25 million metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from end-uses annually.

Each H2Hub was required to develop and ultimately implement a comprehensive Community Benefits Plan (CBP), which will be informed by community and labor engagements in each region. The DOE indicated that the selection for award negotiations was not final. The hubs are subject to a negotiation process, and the DOE may cancel negotiations and rescind the selection for any reason during that time. In September 2023, the DOE issued a Request for Proposals to solicit a U.S. entity to execute a demand-side initiative to ensure the clean hydrogen economy's long-term success and support the hubs' development. This initiative seeks to ensure that both producers and end users in the H2Hubs have market certainty.

[1] https://www.energy.gov/articles/biden-harris-administration-announces-7-billion-americas-first-clean-hydrogen-hubs-driving

[USA] DOE announces $3 billion partial loan guarantee to Sunnova

On September 28, 2023, the Department of Energy (DOE), through its Loan Programs Office (LPO), announced that it has finalized a $3 billion partial loan guarantee to Sunnova Energy Corporation’s Project Hestia.[1] The announcement is the federal government’s single largest commitment to solar energy and the DOE’s first loan guarantee for a virtual power plant (VPP). Project Hestia will make distributed energy resources (DERs), such as rooftop solar, battery storage, and VPP-ready, consumer-facing software, available to homeowners and create more than 3,400 jobs. The project will provide loans for clean energy systems for approximately 75,000 to 115,000 homeowners throughout the U.S., including Puerto Rico. It will benefit disadvantaged communities with high energy burdens that would otherwise have difficulty accessing clean energy. According to the DOE, over the next 25 years, the approximately 568 MW project is expected to avoid an estimated 7.1 million tonnes of carbon dioxide—roughly equivalent to eliminating carbon dioxide emissions from 1.5 million vehicles on the nation’s roads for a year.

[1] https://www.energy.gov/lpo/articles/doe-announces-3-billion-partial-loan-guarantee-sunnovas-project-hestia

[USA] Carbonvert and Castex Carbon Solutions Execute Operating Agreement for Offshore CO2 Storage Hub in Gulf of Mexico

On September 18, 2023, Denver-based Carbonvert Inc. and Castex Carbon Solutions LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Castex Energy, announced that they have executed an operating agreement with Louisiana to develop a 24,000-acre tract of land offshore of Cameron Parish in southwestern Louisiana to permanently store carbon dioxide more than a mile beneath the surface under an impermeable layer of cap rock.[1] The project, known as Cameron Parish CO2 Hub, will have a total storage capacity of more than 250 million metric tons of CO2 and will be operated by Castex. The companies plan to take CO2 from industrial emitters around the Cameron Parish area and “anticipated greenfield projects, notably ammonia and [liquefied natural gas] facilities.” The project has a first CO2 injection target of 2027. Currently, the companies are in discussions with potential customers about the transportation and storage of CO2 from industrial facilities in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and Port Arthur, Texas, as well as regional LNG sites.

[1] https://www.castexcarbon.com/press

[USA] Report finds clean hydrogen industry needs trained workforce

According to new analysis released by the Rhodium Group on September 27, 2023, although there is ample policy support for clean hydrogen production under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), the U.S. will not be able to increase clean hydrogen production without a robust and effect workforce.[1] The Rhodium Group emphasized that occupational training programs will be imperative for deploying hydrogen technologies. According to Rhodium Group, building a commercial-scale 100 MW electrolytic hydrogen facility results in an annual average of 330 plant investment jobs and 45 ongoing jobs. 150 of the development jobs are associated with the construction, engineering, equipment, and materials to build the facility, and 190 come from the supply chain requirements. The 45 ongoing jobs are associated with operations and maintenance.

Retrofitting a traditional hydrogen facility with carbon capture also requires a robust workforce. These projects will need an annual average of 520 plant investment jobs and 80 ongoing jobs. 220 of the project development jobs are associated with the construction and engineering of a retrofit project, while the remaining 300 jobs are associated with materials and equipment used in the project via the supply chain. Rhodium Group estimates that the 80 ongoing jobs over the lifetime of the facility will operate and maintain the carbon capture equipment. These estimates do not include the ongoing jobs for the hydrogen production facility prior to the installation of carbon capture. Carbon capture retrofits will happen where there are existing SMR facilities, so the research firm expects most of this workforce opportunity to be in the Gulf Coast, Midwest, and California. The analysis estimates that, in total, over 16,000 annual average plant investment jobs and 2,560 ongoing jobs across the industry will be needed for carbon retrofits by 2035.

[1] https://rhg.com/research/clean-hydrogen-workforce-development/

[USA] FERC, NERC report highlights problems with natural gas system during Winter Storm Elliott

In a report released on September 21, 2023, by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), the natural gas system in New York City nearly failed and left a million customers without heat on December 24, 2022, during Winter Storm Elliott.[1] The near emergency has not previously been disclosed. The report was released during a FERC meeting, during which the commission also approved four new natural gas projects despite continued disagreement over how projects’ greenhouse gas emissions should be assessed.

On the morning of December 24, 2022, Consolidated Edison (ConEd), the largest utility in the state, declared a gas emergency as pipeline pressure declined rapidly. If the utility had not taken emergency action, FERC staff said gas heating could have been shut off for months in “all or parts” of the utility’s footprint. ConEd serves gas to 1.1 million customers in New York City. During Winter Storm Elliott, the natural gas system experienced widespread freezing issues and problems with the interstate pipelines.  Outages at 63 natural gas power plant units were attributed to natural gas deliveries being cut off.

[1] https://www.ferc.gov/news-events/news/presentation-ferc-nerc-regional-entity-joint-inquiry-winter-storm-elliott