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nderhjs t1_j1kv4zi wrote

Reply to comment by blowjob215 in Any context other than it’s really cold? Peco asking for electricity conservation. by Unlucky-External5648

It’s been this cold before, is there something about it this time? Was it because they usually need to prepare and didn’t because this came on so fast?

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Brraaap t1_j1l040c wrote

Probably has to do with the amount of the nation in unseasonably cold temperatures. Everyone's cold, so there's no excess production available to the grid

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jamin_g t1_j1l4cfp wrote

In the recent past, more and more people have shifted from combustion to electrical heat.

Heat pumps get less and less efficient as temps drop and require more and more electric.

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Dismal-Ideal1672 t1_j1lqec8 wrote

This, but also how widespread the geography is. PJM is the interconnect for most of the Eastern seaboard. This let's them balance load across regions, but if we're all using more than usual, there's only so much supply that can be spun up on demand. That extra electricity will be gas generators usually, with a limited amount of continuous supply (and high cost).

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eaglewatch1945 t1_j1o38wb wrote

I never thought I'd say this, but "thank you, oil furnace."

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TheBSQ t1_j1ls02d wrote

In warmer climates, electric heating has always been common, and usually very inefficient forms, like electric baseboards.

What your saying is all true and it’s probably a factor, but I’d bet it has more to do with the fact that the cold really widespread and so there’s a lot of “warm” places using electric baseboard heating (and space heaters) than it is an uptick in housing using heat pumps.

And there’s also a bit of a mix where some heat pump systems have resistance heat backup systems for when it gets really cold.

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Triplsticks t1_j1qtljr wrote

Heat pumps are around twice as efficient as other conventional electric heat systems, even at these temperatures. Definitely not the issue.

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jamin_g t1_j1ra29k wrote

Yeah so, in most situations, at least that I encounter, the replacement when we are adding a heat pump is usually replacing an oil or gas system, or a previously uncontrolled space.

If you find a heat pump that uses less electric than an oil furnace, I don't know, I'll streak across Link at the two minute warning.

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Genkiotoko t1_j1l8u16 wrote

I'd guess you're essentially right. Utilities likely didn't buy nearly enough generation on the futures market, causing a lot of last- minute purchasing for more generation. Power plants take time to heat up, especially in brutally cold temps.

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gwhh t1_j1n39r9 wrote

Drop 35 degrees in a few hours. That very usually.

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FordMaverickFan t1_j1ocmhz wrote

There has been a growing trend of people dumping natural gas appliances and an increase of electric car sales.

Texas gets all of the media coverage but the grid in the northeast is the oldest in the country so we're in for a rough couple of years.

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