Energy prices continued a year-over-year downward trajectory in September, MISO operations data showed.

The RTO reported real-time energy prices averaged $30/MWh over September, down from $68/MWh during the same period last year. Average natural gas and coal prices both dipped to $2/MMBtu for the month in the footprint, sliding from $8/MMBtu for coal and $7/MMBtu for natural gas in September 2022.

MISO said load for the month peaked at 115 GW on Sept. 5 during a hot weather alert for MISO Midwest. The monthly peak registered higher than last September’s peak of 107 GW. Otherwise, load averaged 77 GW, above last year’s 75-GW average and climbing incrementally from September 2021’s 74-GW average.

Average daily outages for the generation fleet over September were the lowest they’ve been in four years. MISO recorded an average 39 GW in daily outages, down from last September’s 48 GW in outages.

Since September 2020, coal has lost a small amount of ground in the energy mix, while natural gas-fired generation has gained ground. Natural gas has reached 40% of the energy mix, while coal has shrunk to 31%, flip-flopping 2020’s mix, which saw coal leading at 34% and natural gas at 31%.