Welcome to Grid Brief! Today we’re looking at power generation in America’s traditional monopoly utility areas with news items.

Monopoly Area Monday

First, let’s take a look at generation nation-wide.

Natural gas was the top generator with nuclear, coal, and wind swapping the next two spots.

Here’s a map to orient you as we move through the areas:

Carolinas

Nuclear, natural gas, and coal kept the Carolinas humming. Notice gas’s ramp up to meet demand on Jan. 11.

North Carolina has approved Duke Energy’s most recent rate hike. “For a typical residential customers using 1,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per month, the monthly bill will increase 7.7% to $140.33 per month,” reports Reuters. “This will be followed by a 3% increase in January 2025, and again in January 2026.”

In South Carolina, advocates fighting over whether the state-owned utility Santee Cooper should invest in a natural gas plant or solar plus battery storage.

TVA

Nuclear, natural gas, and coal were the top generators for America’s largest public power entity. Hydro did leap over coal once on Jan. 10.

Last year, the TVA spent $123 million on 3,400 adjustments to prepare its system for the current storm after it blacked out over Christmas of 2022. At time of writing, TVA is holding strong.

Southeast

Natural gas, nuclear, and coal generated the most in the Southeast.

Some analysts are bullish on Southern Company. “James Thalacker upgraded the rating for Southern Co from Market Perform to Outperform, while raising the price target from $72 to $77,” reports Markets Insider. “Although the stock was among the best performers in 2023, there seems to be runway, as its profile ‘justifies one of the highest premiums in the group,’ Thalacker said in the upgrade note.”

Florida

Natural gas, “other” (a catch-all category of generators that don’t disclose their type to the EIA), and nuclear were the top generators in Florida. Solar had one prolific day on Jan 10.

Florida is currently handling a legal case that will determine how powerful and accountable utility regulators are within the state.

Tampa Electric Co. withdrew a petition for rate increases.

Northwest

Hydro, natural gas, wind, and coal all scrummed in the top three spots.

An outage at the Jackson Prairie storage facility coupled with a jump in demand due to the arctic chill forced Puget Sound Energy to ask its 1.2 million customers to conserve their energy over the weekend.

Southwest

Natural gas, nuclear, and coal kept the Southwest running.

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Conversation Starters

• World’s top uranium miner warns of shortfalls. “Kazatomprom, the world’s biggest uranium miner, warned that it’s likely to fall short of its production targets over the next two years, adding another risk to supply as demand for the nuclear fuel rebounds,” reports Bloomberg. “The London-listed company, which is controlled by Kazakhstan’s government via its sovereign wealth fund, said on Friday that shortages of sulfuric acid and construction delays at newly developed deposits are creating production challenges that could persist into 2025. It will outline the likely impact on output in a trading update by Feb. 1, it said.”

• US gas output drops, demand spikes in Texas during arctic weather. “U.S. natural gas output fell to a preliminary 11-month low on Sunday as frigid weather froze wells across the country, while gas demand for heating and power generation was on track to hit record highs,” reports Reuters. “In Texas the state's power grid operator, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), forecast electric demand on Tuesday would top last summer's all-time high and warned power supplies could fall short on both Monday and Tuesday.”

• Tankers urged to avoid Yemen. “Amid escalating tensions in the Middle East and the U.S. and UK strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen overnight, the largest shipping and tanker industry groups are advising members to stay away from the Bab el-Mandeb Strait while shippers are diverting transit away from the Red Sea en masse again,” reports Oilprice.com. “In an advisory to its members, the International Association of Independent Tanker Owners (Intertanko), representing nearly 70% of all international oil, chemical, and gas tankers, said that tankers should ‘stay well away’ from Bab el-Mandeb and pause north of Yemen when traveling south through the Suez Canal route.”

Crom’s Blessing

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