West Power Tracker: Power prices up as much as 334% month on month from heatwave

摘要

Power prices across the Western US spiked in July to some of thehighest levels in over a decade as a heatwave drove up power demandacross the region while generation supplies tightened.Cal-ISO peakload averaged 40,873 MW in July, jumping 25% fromJune and 3.2% from last July, and sitting well above the five-yearpeakload average for the ISO, according to ISO data. Peakload reachednearly 46,500 MW in late July, close to the expected summer peak of46,625 MW.Higher temperatures caused an increase in cooling demand asLos Angeles had 123% more cooling-degree days in July than normaland almost 37% more than last year, according to the US NationalWeather Service. Sacramento had 26% more cooling-degree days inJuly than normal.Similarly, Portland had 30% more cooling-degrees days thannormal and 32% more than last year, while Phoenix had 12% more thannormal and 6% more than last year.