Report: Renewables, natural gas will power most new electric capacity in 2019
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Much of the new electric generating capacity in 2019 will come from renewables and natural gas, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said on Thursday.
The agency based its projections on the latest monthly inventory of electric generators. It was unclear whether the inventory included the December startup of the Tenaska Westmoreland Generating Station in South Huntingdon near Smithton.
The natural gas-fueled facility generates enough power (940 megawatts) for about 940,000 homes in the PJM Interconnection market, which coordinates the delivery of electric power in all or parts of 13 Eastern states, including Pennsylvania.
The EIA said 23.7 gigawatts of new electric power capacity is expected to come online in 2019 — most of it from wind (46 percent), natural gas (34 percent) and solar (18 percent). More than 8 gigawatts of retirements also are planned, including 53 percent from coal.
Stephen Huba is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Stephen at 724-850-1280, shuba@tribweb.com or via Twitter @shuba_trib.