Natural gas consumed by electric power plants set a record high of 46.7 billion cubic feet on Monday, July 27th according to data from S&P Global Platts. That same day natural gas-fired capacity reached an all-time high (dispatch level) of 315,989 megawatts in the late afternoon. The new record can be attributed to low natural gas prices and structural changes in the electric power industry away from coal towards natural gas and renewables. According to EIA data, 8.4 gigawatts (GW) of natural gas-fired capacity has been added in the United States since January 2019. Most of the new plants are combined-cycle power plants using high-efficiency natural gas turbine technology. Renewables are having a much larger market share but natural gas is going to be the primary fuel source for years to come. Follow the link below to read more.
