CARMEL, Ind. — A mid-July heat wave failed to drastically alter MISO’s monthly average load and energy price, stakeholders learned at an Aug. 22 Informational Forum.

July’s temperatures averaged near normal overall, MISO Executive Director of System Operations Renuka Chatterjee said.

Load averaged 87 GW during the month, up from an average 80 GW in June and “consistent with the summer weather conditions,” Chatterjee said. Load peaked for the year at 120.6 GW on July 20, close to last July’s peak. Day-ahead and real-time energy prices averaged $30/MWh and $31/MWh, comparable to a year ago, owing to natural gas prices that held steady below $3/MMBtu.

“Overall, this July was a typical summer month,” she said.

MISO experienced fewer forced outages this year but more planned outages when compared to last year. Forced generation outages decreased by about 3 GW from a year ago to about 11 GW, while planned outages were up 1 GW to about 6 GW. Real-time congestion stemming from forced outages led to “unanticipated higher prices” in MISO South on July 28, Chatterjee said.

July boasted 2,277 GWh of total wind generation, a 7% decrease compared with last July. Meanwhile, MISO’s registered wind capacity increased from 15.9 GW to 16.8 GW year-to-year.

— Amanda Durish Cook