Welcome to Grid Brief! Today we’re looking at power generation and power prices in America’s power markets, with news items where relevant.

What’s Keeping the Lights On?

Let’s start with a snapshot of generation nation-wide:

Natural gas was the top generator in the country with nuclear, coal, and wind trading second and third.

And here’s a map to orient you as we move through the market areas:

CAISO

A typical week for California: natural gas and solar traded the top two spots while hydro, wind, and nuclear duked it out for third. The negative generation is likely battery charging and/or exports.

Real-time prices in northern California crept upward.

While they experienced volatile swings in the southern part of the state.

The CPUC swatted down a community solar proposal.

“The California Public Utilities Commission on Monday proposed rejecting a solar industry-backed proposal to allow renters to buy credits in small solar projects,” reports E&E News. “Solar industry groups, ratepayer advocates and some environmental groups had pitched the proposal as a way to give renters access to the savings that people get from rooftop solar panels. Monday’s proposed decision found that the small generators that would have sold the credits are too different from rooftop solar owners to qualify for similar reimbursements. The agency offered a potential alternative that closely aligns with one introduced by utility Southern California Edison.”

New York-ISO

New York saw total generation drop significantly over the week as natural, hydro, and nuclear kept the lights on.

Real time prices broke away from day-ahead before mid-week, then ebbed below day-ahead by the week’s end.

More wind is planned for New York.

Last week, the “state conditionally awarded conditionally awarded two offshore wind projects from its fourth offshore wind solicitation – a planned 810-megawatt project, Empire Wind 1, (developed by Equinor) and Sunrise Wind, a planned 924-megawatt project (developed by Orsted and Eversource),” reads a press release from NYSERDA.

Subscribe to Premium Subscription to read the rest.