Midwest Reliability Organization’s 2023-2024 Regional Winter Assessment (2023 RWA) finds that portions of the regional bulk power system are at high risk of insufficient electricity supply to meet normal peak demand this winter when coupled with planned and/or forced generation outages. The 2023-2024 RWA also found that potential natural gas supply issues could be a reliability concern during extreme cold temperatures. To mitigate the risk of energy shortfalls, the electric power industry must monitor fuel supply availability during extreme cold weather and ensure power plants are winterized properly.

Data indicates that conventional generation, particularly steam turbine and simple cycle gas plants, is most challenging during the winter months and protecting the availability of these resources should remain an area of focus. Conversely, relay misoperations due to human error saw significant improvement over the previous winter season.

The 2023 RWA is an independent staff assessment of the upcoming winter season to identify challenges and potential risks to the reliable operations of the bulk power system within MRO’s regional footprint. It provides an evaluation of resources and transmission system adequacy needed to meet projected winter peak demands from December 2023 through February 2024, and identifies historical system trends and emerging risks.

A full list of the report’s findings and recommendations can be found in the 2023-2024 RWA and related infographic.

The 2023 RWA compliments NERC’s 2023 Winter Reliability Assessment, which provides an evaluation of resource and transmission system adequacy necessary to meet projected winter peak demands across all of North America. MRO will host a webinar on the 2023-2024 RWA key findings on December 12, 2023. You can register for this event here.

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Midwest Reliability Organization (MRO) is a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring the reliability and security of the bulk power system in the central region of North America, including parts of both the United States and Canada. MRO is one of six regional entities in North America operating under authority from regulators in the United States through a delegation agreement with the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) and in Canada under similar arrangements. The primary focus of MRO is monitoring and enforcing compliance with mandatory reliability standards and assessing the grid’s ability to meet growing electricity demand.