New England’s electric power supplies are expected to be adequate to meet regional demand this summer under normal weather and system conditions, according to ISO New England Inc.
However, reduced and uncertain supplies of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to power generation in the Northeast Massachusetts/Greater Boston area during the summer could create local reliability challenges to that portion of the power grid if extreme summer weather conditions – leading to high consumer demand – occur or if unexpected resource outages occur, ISO New England explains.
“To address the concerns about potential reliability challenges in the Northeast Massachusetts/Boston area, the ISO is working with local generation and transmission companies to develop special operating plans that we can use, if needed, to manage a shortage situation,” says Vamsi Chadalavada, executive vice president and chief operating officer of ISO New England.
ISO New England has procedures in place to bring the system back into balance if electricity supplies get tight as a result of an unexpected resource outage, or if an extended heat wave causes consumer demand for electricity to spike. These actions could include calling on demand-response resources to curtail energy use, importing emergency power from neighboring regions, and asking businesses and residents to voluntarily conserve energy.