PA Facing Harsh Summer Electricity Bills
The forecast from NOAA is calling for a hot and humid summer in PA. And with the rising heat comes rising electricity demand. But it’s not just soaring temperatures causing people to crank the AC that’s the problem. A nervous natural gas market, aging infrastructure, and higher power demand from data centers have all added to the problem. And worries are that if PJM can’t line up enough power plants to meet demand, electricity bills could surge.
It’s the first time PJM has said that they might not be able to handle such a worst case scenario. If demand tops 166,000 MW, PJM could have to shed load. In other words, blackouts. Unfortunately, short supplies have already lead to soaring electricity rates. That trend seems poised to continue. And so, you could be facing high energy costs this summer.
Summer Energy Shortages, Big Electricity Bills
The FERC summer assessment doesn’t have any good news for PA citizens. PA is facing higher than average summer temperatures, and potentially the highest energy demand seen in the last 4 years. On top of that, because this was a cold winter, natural gas reserves are low. And that has increased fuel prices for power plants.
So, electric supply is a growing issue. Last summer’s PJM capacity auction prices were only the tip of the iceburg. PJM’s grid interconnection plan has long been criticized for being too slow. Clean energy groups and environmental organizations complained often that PJM chose to stall new grid connections instead of reforming. As of February 16, 245.1 gigawatts of active power capacity were waiting for PJM approval to join the grid.
But as plants wait to join the grid, others are retiring too quickly. In response to the issue, PJM has put together a plan to get more generators online. This “Flexibility for the Future” plan focuses heavily on adding renewable energy to the grid. Unfortunately, aging power lines mean even more work will need to be done to get this electricity to homes. And that work will cost money. So as a stop-gap plan, two aging power plants scheduled to shut down have been ordered to continue operating.
Stay Cool this Summer
With a hot and humid summer on the way, you want to avoid rising electricity rates. Shopping for a fixed rate plan is the smartest way to prepare. These plans shield you against rising rates not just for this summer, but for months afterward. Thankfully, shopping with PA Energy Ratings the find the best energy supplier is easy! You can compare rates, read reviews, and more. Just visit https://www.paenergyratings.com.