The United States North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) has achieved a “stress test” of the United States bulk power system and has used data provided by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) to identify power generation capacities set to be shut down through 2025 in 10 assessment areas, where coal-fired and nuclear generation make up a significant portion of the mix.
According to the NERC, the accelerated retirement of coal-fired and nuclear power generation by 2022 could affect the reliability of power supplies in four assessment areas (SPP, SERC-East, WECC-RMRG and WECC-SRSG), including eastern and central United States. However, the six other covered areas (entailing in particular PJM, New England, MISO and the ERCOT) will have enough power generation capacity to face peak demand even in case of accelerated retirements over the next five-years.
The NERC recommends utilities, resource planners at state and federal levels along with wholesale electricity market operators to manage the pace of retirements so that the replacement of retiring infrastructure can be ensured.
Source: NERC