The minimum amount of electricity that a utility must provide to meet the consistent, ongoing needs of its customers. Historically, this steady demand was met by large power plants (like coal or nuclear) that ran continuously. Today, with more renewable energy, this minimum demand can be met by a flexible mix of various power sources, rather than relying solely on specific “baseload plants”.
A technology that stores electrical energy in rechargeable batteries for later use. Batteries help stabilize the grid, manage energy demand, and increase the use of renewable energy.
Any energy resource that provides energy directly to a home or business without passing through a utility company’s meter. Examples include rooftop solar and microgrids.
Historically refers to industrial facilities with high electrical demand. They had long interconnection timelines that allowed for more study time under traditional planning processes. Currently, emerging large loads include cryptocurrency mining, data centers (conventional and artificial intelligence), oil field loads, and hydrogen production facilities. Many have a shorter timeline to interconnect (months vs. years) to the grid. In addition to these rapid timelines, some emerging large loads introduce new challenges to grid operators like rapid demand fluctuations and increased voltage sensitivity.
The amount of power or electricity consumed by a device or system at a given time. It’s the demand placed on an energy source, like a power grid or a battery, by the connected electrical equipment.
The increase in the demand for electricity over time. It signifies the rising need for power from various sectors, including residential, commercial, and industrial, and can be driven by factors like population increases, economic development, and the adoption of new technologies like electric vehicles and data centers.
A controlled process where a utility company reduces or shuts off power supply to certain areas or customers to balance demand with available supply, preventing a complete system failure. It’s a last-resort measure to maintain grid stability when demand exceeds supply or when there are issues with power generation or transmission.
A way for wholesale electric energy prices to reflect the value of electric energy at different locations, accounting for the patterns of load, generation, and the physical limits of the transmission system.
Analysis is typically performed on a system to determine the amount of capacity that needs to be installed to meet the desired reliability target, commonly expressed as an expected value, or LOLE of 0.1 days/year.
Midcontinent Independent System Operator, serves northern Midwest, southeast, and parts of Canada
Wind turbines erected in bodies of water that harness the power of wind, converting it into electricity that is then transmitted to the mainland to power homes and businesses. Offshore wind farms are considered a renewable energy source.
The real-time balancing of energy supply and demand to maintain frequency and voltage within safe operating limits. It is the shorter-term dimension of reliability and requires regular monitoring and control of the entire grid. It includes the ability to quickly respond to sudden changes, like the loss of a major power plant or transmission line, and to handle normal variations in supply and demand.
The brief periods when electricity consumption is at its highest, often driven by factors like extreme weather or heat events. This is the highest amount of electricity demand for which a grid operator needs to plan.
A power plant that is designed to quickly ramp up and provide electricity during periods of high energy demand, such as during hot summer afternoons or cold winter evenings, to meet the increased needs of households and businesses. These plants generally only run during these peak events to supplement regular power generation.
A regulatory tool that ties a portion of utilities’ earnings to the utilities’ performance on desired regulatory outcomes, offering utilities opportunities to create the programs and services needed to advance emerging priorities.
The conversion of light into electricity at the junction of two substances exposed to light. A photovoltaic system employs solar modules, each comprising a number of solar cells, which generate electrical power.
Pennsylvania-New Jersey-Maryland Interconnection- services 13 states in Midatlantic and Midwest region
The rate of transfer of energy. It’s essentially how quickly energy is being used or converted from one form to another in an electrical circuit. Power is measured in watts (W), which represents one joule (J) of energy per second.
A measure of how efficiently electrical power is being used. It shows how much of the total power flowing in a circuit is actually doing useful work (active power) versus being ”wasted” as reactive power. A power factor closer to 1 means higher efficiency and fewer losses.
Sometimes also called a Public Service Commission (PSC), is a state-level governmental agency that regulates utilities like electricity, gas, and water. PUCs ensure that these essential services are provided fairly, reliably, and at reasonable prices, often by overseeing monopolies and protecting consumers.
