[Egon_1]

I ran across this article:

ISO New England's Annual Assessment Targets Continued Power System Enhancements

and was a little surprised to read:

"Key findings of RSP05 include:

New England requires 272 transmission infrastructure projects, including major 345-kilovolt projects throughout the system, particularly in southwest Connecticut (SWCT) and Boston. These projects, estimated to cost between $2 billion and $4 billion, will provide much needed operating flexibility to ensure a reliable supply of electricity throughout New England.

Under high-demand conditions, ISO New England will need to call upon special operating procedures to maintain the region's power grid reliability. Without planned transmission infrastructure upgrades in SWCT and Boston, ISO New England will need to implement the special procedures even more frequently in these areas.

As soon as 2008, the region will need additional electric generation capacity or greater participation in demand reduction programs to ensure reliability during periods of peak demand.

New England should diversify the mix of fuels used to produce electricity. By winter 2006-2007, the region should convert 400 MW of natural gas-only generation to dual-fuel capability, i.e., the flexibility and storage capacity to burn oil as well as gas. An additional 250 megawatts (MW) per year should be converted through winter 2008-2009 and 500 MW more by winter 2009-2010.

To enhance system reliability and efficiency, New England needs approximately 1,100 MW of incremental quick-start generation resources located in Boston and Connecticut, especially SWCT. "

"Special Operating Procedures" = Blackouts/Brownouts

I thought NG powered plants were the wave of the future? I guess they might be expecting shortages of one or the other (but not shortages of both at the same time??).

Can you say "TSHTF" within a couple of years? I thought you could.

[Starvid]

What New England needs is a few new nuclear plants.

[marko]

This will either result in a) more and more frequent blackouts and brownouts, with economic losses and jobs moved out of the region or b) sharply higher electricity rates or c) both of the above.

Either a) or b) is sure to pop the real estate bubble, if nothing else does.

[SD_Scott]

I was offered a job working with a power company in that same area about a year ago, and I specifically asked the guy if they were using NG. He said "yes almost excusively". I told him that I'm not interested in the job because of the NG situation in America. He laughed it off.

[PeakOiler]

I thought NG powered plants were the wave of the future? I guess they might be expecting shortages of one or the other (but not shortages of both at the same time??).

Can you say "TSHTF" within a couple of years? I thought you could.

Why don't they set up 120 three-megawatt wind turbines off Cape Cod and name it "Cape Wind"?

Oh yeah. Never mind...

They should start the rotating brownout/blackouts starting at Kennedy's house.