January 19, 2024 - This week, when single-digit temperatures strained the power grid with high electricity demand, coal-fired power plants ramped up to keep the country safe and warm.

Since the start of the cold spell and winter storm, coal-fired electric generation increased 63% in the PJM ISO footprint (13 states, including West Virginia).  The increase in coal power allowed PJM to keep power flowing at reasonable prices and allowed the ISO to supply electricity to its chronically power-short neighboring regions and grid operators.

Nationally, coal-fired generation increased by 43%, providing an additional 41,000 megawatt hours of electricity to the strained national power grid.