ERCOT, MISO and SPP all set new generation records for wind in the last two weeks.
SPP has seen the most increased activity, setting six new generation peaks this season. The latest came Nov. 15, when SPP eclipsed 9,000 MW of generation for the first time with 9,013 MW. The RTO generated a record 38.3% of its electricity from wind energy Nov. 4.
MISO set its latest record peak with 12,613.9 MW on Nov. 19, breaking the previous mark of 12,006 set Oct. 28. Todd Ramey, the RTO’s vice president of system operations and market services, told an informational forum last week that wind generated 4.1 TWh in October, up from 2.9 TWh in September and 3.6 TWh in October 2014.
ERCOT reported a new high of 12,641 MW of wind at 9:36 p.m. Nov. 16 — representing more than 75% of its installed wind capacity — and accounting for almost one-third of its electricity production.
ERCOT’s previous high came Oct. 22, when it generated 12,238 MW, meeting 36.8% of its load at the time.
The RTOs are home to many of the top wind-producing states, with the Dakotas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas all generating between 6.9% (Nebraska) and 28.5% (Iowa) of their energy from wind in 2014, according to the American Wind Energy Association.
— Tom Kleckner and Amanda Durish Cook
