Gas

With July heatwaves, US ‘probably’ saw highest natural gas generation in history, EIA says

The spike in natural gas-fired generation on July 9 was because of both high temperatures across most of the country and a steep drop in wind generation.

With July heatwaves, US ‘probably’ saw highest natural gas generation in history, EIA says
(The Nueces Bay natural gas-fired plant. Photo by Talen Energy.)

U.S. power plant operators generated 6.9 million MWh of electricity from natural gas on a daily basis in the lower 48 states on July 9, 2024, the U.S. Energy Energy Information Administration (EIA) said, which is “probably” the most in history, and definitely the most since at least January 1, 2019, when the EIA began to collect hourly data about natural gas generation.

The spike in natural gas-fired generation on July 9 was because of both high temperatures across most of the country and a steep drop in wind generation. According to the National Weather Service, most of the U.S. experienced temperatures well above average on July 9, 2024., with particularly high temperatures on the West Coast and East Coast.

Wind generation in the Lower 48 states totaled 0.3 million MWh on July 9, 2024, compared to the the 1.3 million MWh daily average in June 2024.

According to preliminary data from the EIA, wind power in the contiguous United States produced only 302,615 MWh on Tuesday, July 23. That’s the lowest amount since the day before, when wind power produced 335,753 MWh. Six of the 10 worst days for wind power this year have been this month (July), but previous to this week’s totals, there hadn’t been a comparably bad day since October 4, 2021.

Wind farms are on track to produce an average of just 4% of power generation this week, down from 7% last week and 12% so far in 2024, per the EIA.