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Today we’re looking at electricity generation in America’s monopoly utility areas. The Energy Information Administration, from which we get our graph data, has closed down its API ahead of schedule for maintenance, disabling our ability to pull generation data to generate our own graphs. So, we have to use their graphs throughout. This should be resolved by next week.

Monopoly Area Mondays

First, here’s a look at nation-wide generation:

Natural gas, nuclear, and coal remained the top three generators. Wind peaked above coal twice, but as it flagged, coal generation increased.

And then here’s a map of the American electricity system to orient you:

Carolinas

Nuclear, natural, and coal were the top generators in the Carolinas. But solar did have a few big moments over the course of the week.

Tennessee Valley Authority

Nuclear and natural gas held the two top spots in the TVA’s footprint. Coal and hydro swapped third and fourth place over the course of the week.

Southeast

Natural gas, nuclear, and coal were the dominant generators in the southeast.

Georgia Power has asked the Georgia Public Service Commission to extend power purchase agreements to fossil resources in other states to meet rising demand. “Georgia Power’s revised Integrated Resource Plan calls for 6,600 megawatts of energy by 2030 than the version approved just last year in order to meet the demands of booming economic growth in manufacturing and maintain reliable service during severe weather,” reports Rough Draft Atlanta.

Much of the increase in demand expectations derives from industrial plants meant to aid the energy transition, such as a new Hyundai battery factory in the state. Regardless, environmental groups decried the utility’s request for more fossil resources.

Florida

Natural gas is far and away the king of the Sunshine State. Solar and coal swapped second and third place throughout the week.

Duke Energy announced a green hydrogen facility in Florida. “The new system, a collaboration between Duke, construction management and consulting firm Sargent and Lundy, and General Electric's unit GE Vernova, would be located at Duke's existing facilities in DeBary,” reports Reuters. “The new system would begin with the existing 74.5-megawatt (MW) DeBary solar plant providing clean energy for two 1-MW electrolyzer units.”

Southwest

Natural gas and nuclear kept the Southwest humming. Coal, solar, wind, and hydro all battled for third place.

Northwest

For the last few weeks, wind has had a huge presence in the Northwest’s generation mix. But it had a comparatively mild week, so hydro, natural gas, and coal traded places in the top three.

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Conversation Starters

• Coal is on the ups in India. “India’s coal production jumped by 18.59% to 78.65 million tons in October compared to the same month last year, data from the Indian Ministry of Coal showed on Friday,” reports Oilprice.com. “Between April and October, the first seven months of the Indian fiscal year 2023/2024, Indian coal production also rose, by 13.05% year-on-year to 507 million tons, according to the data.

  Coal India, the giant producer accounting for 80% of the country’s coal output, saw its production rise by 15.36% year-over-year in October, and by 11.95% between April and October.”

• Sunrun takes a hit. “The promise of the renewable energy industry, underscored by Sunrun Inc.’s acquisition of Vivint Solar three years ago, had investors rushing to jump in. Now, solar stocks are facing a major sell-off, spurring Sunrun to take a $1.2 billion charge to write down the value of its purchase,” reports Bloomberg. “The move at the biggest US rooftop solar company comes on the heels of a string of bad news across the sector. SunPower Corp. tumbled 5.6% Wednesday after cutting its full-year guidance due to weaker demand for its rooftop solar systems. SolarEdge Technologies Inc., which makes inverters that allow homes to use solar power, saw its stock plunge more than 20% in late trading Wednesday.”

• Spanish business backs nuclear. “One of Spain's top business lobby groups called for extending the use of the country's nuclear plants on Friday, that the government led by acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez plans to start closing down from 2027,” reports Reuters. “The fate of Spain's nuclear fleet became a hot issue during the recent electoral campaign, with the conservative opposition People's Party (PP) pledging to reverse the planned phase-out of the nuclear plants, which generate about a fifth of the country's electricity. A coalition deal between centre-left parties seeking to form a government confirmed ‘the orderly and progressive dismantling’ of nuclear reactors.”

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