Eastern Canada, New York state and New England should all have adequate electricity supplies this summer, according to a set of comprehensive reliability assessments unveiled by the Northeast Power Coordinating Council (NPCC) earlier this week, although the NPCC did raise a red flag related to New York’s ability to handle periods of extreme demand for power.

The NPCC said that New York state, as a whole, should have an adequate supply of electricity, but warned that the state could require significant amounts of electricity to be imported during peak demand periods. The council said that reliability in the state would be enhanced by reducing dependence upon external resources with more installed generation within New York.

The NPCC went on to note that New York City’s dense population, combined with significant transmission constraints that limit power imports from outside the city, require that a minimum specified amount of generation be physically located in the city. As a result, the council pointed out, additional generating facilities are planned for installation in New York City before summer arrives. This additional local generation capacity, or a similar reduction in electricity demand, is needed to meet minimum reliability standards for this summer, the NPCC added.

NPCC’s summer outlook for New England is more favorable. The council said that several new power plants have come online in the region since last summer and additional capacity, sufficient to meet the needs of a million homes, is scheduled to become available by June. This additional capacity will offer increased reserves and a higher reliability than past summers, according to NPCC. ISO New England last month said that it is projecting an adequate power supply to meet its needs this summer (see NGI, April 25).

Turning to Canada, the NPCC said that Quebec and the Maritime Provinces, which experience their highest electricity demand in the winter, are expected to have ample resources throughout this summer. For Ontario, the NPCC said that resources and operating reserves are sufficient to meet their expected demand in the summer months.

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