New England Natural Gas Usage for Electricity Generation Rose During Heatwaves: EIA

Natural gas usage for electricity generation accounted for 56 percent of New England’s production mix during the June 16-23 heatwave, hitting a high of 61 percent on June 22, according to an Aug. 27 report published by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Natural gas fired power generation averaged 58 percent of the production mix from July 6-13. Natural gas consisted for a higher share of the production mix during both periods this year in comparison to the five-year average (2019-2023), despite the closure of the Mystic Generation Station in Massachusetts in May. The station provided more than 1,400 megawatts of capacity at a strategic location of the electricity grid. Mystic is one of the nation’s oldest power plants that has supplied electricity to the Boston area since the 1940s.

The region of New England on July 10 generated 468,403 megawatthours of electricity, up 31 percent compared to the previous five year average. Moreover, natural gas fired generation production accounted for more than 50 percent of all the power produced in the region. The region has more gas fired generation capacity than petroleum or coal fired production capacity. The utilization of petroleum and coal fired production rose during the heatwaves to fulfil the rise in electricity demand.

During the heatwaves periods of June 16-23 and July 6-13, more natural gas was used in the region’s electric power sector than during the equivalent periods in any of the previous five years. During the June 16-23 period, the electric power sector in the region used an average 1.6 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d). Consumption on June 19 and 20 surpassed 2.0 Bcf/d, and as a result a significant amount of natural gas was utilized in the electric power sector. Natural gas usage for power generation during the week July 6-13 remained relatively stable, averaging 1.8 Bcf/d.

Petroleum and coal to generate power rose during both periods of high electricity demand. Both fuels make up a small portion of all generating capacity in the New England region and are used when electricity demand spikes under extreme hot or cold conditions.

Electricity imported from New York and Canada, alongside the usage of renewable generation also rose to meet air conditioning demand requirements in New England during the heatwaves.