This week, fall has made its presence known across the country. Pumpkin spice lattes are no longer iced, winter coats are being dusted off, and people are debating whether to turn on the heat. But next week will bring a shift, with temperatures expected to climb above the seasonal norm, making this week's chill feel like just a tease of fall.
What does this mean for the market? We’re likely to see higher energy demand compared to this week. While record-breaking demand isn't expected, this situation differs from summer because we're in the midst of the shoulder season, a key time for generation outages. The NRC has reported that several nuclear units are offline for refueling, including Prairie Island and Braidwood Nuclear in the Midwest.
In ERCOT, generation outages for October have nearly doubled compared to September. If we were to see the perfect storm of higher demand, substantial generation outages, and potential renewable generation shortfalls in regions heavy with renewables, we could see isolated evening peak price spikes in the coming weeks.
Enjoy the crisp air while it lasts because next week's summer-like temperatures are hanging by a thread. If you'd like more information about forecasts for the rest of shoulder season and fall, contact us: https://hubs.li/Q02TS6hy0
Photo credit: https://hubs.li/Q02TS6kn0
Account Executive @Shopmonkey
3moGood work Pat