Maintenance issues contributed to a divergence in Western energy prices this week.
The latest manual snowpack measurements by the California Department of Water Resources at Phillips Station found April 1 conditions "well below normal," with 49.5 inches of snow depth and a snow-water equivalent of 21 inches—83 percent of average for the location.
California agencies are preparing for drought and closely observing watershed conditions statewide.
California energy prices trended lower throughout the week as the supply-demand balance teetered slightly.
Cooler weather and supply constraints generally bolstered Western energy prices this week. Although natural gas price trajectories varied, power prices ratcheted higher.
Western natural gas prices generally trended higher over the past week, which was attributed to regional maintenance issues.
Weather-inflated Western energy prices continued to moderate this week. While power prices plunged sharply in trading, without the demand support or supply constraints of the prior week, regional natural gas prices leveled off.
Frigid conditions across the continental United States sent Western energy prices on a rollercoaster ride in the abbreviated Feb. 11 to Feb. 18 trading period. Markets were closed Monday, Feb. 15, in observance of Presidents Day.
Intense cold weather lit a fire under Western natural gas prices this week, propelling most above $8 by Feb. 12.
The California Department of Water Resources is preparing to weather a dry year after assessing the snowpack Feb. 3.
A jolt of cold air perked up both energy prices and demand during the Jan. 21 to Jan. 28 report week.
Western energy prices remained as flat as demand for yet another week.
Western energy prices continued on a fairly flat trajectory without much support from demand.
Western energy price movement was nominal, if not tame, following the flip of the calendar to 2021. Demand was sufficiently soft that additions were made to California natural gas storage during the Dec. 31 through Jan. 7 trading period.
In a reversal of last week's peak power price movements, Pacific Northwest power prices picked up value while other Western hubs lost four to five dollars.
Lacking an Arctic blast or other seasonal weather changes to propel demand, Pacific Northwest power prices sagged while other regional prices ticked up a few dollars.
Despite roughly similar week-over-week regional power demand, Western energy prices moved lower in Dec. 3 to Dec. 10 trading.
In initial forecasts for the 2021 Western water year, Pacific Northwest hydro generation appears to be in good shape; however, similar California forecasts have yet to be issued.
Western energy prices seemed to have nowhere specific to go in advance of the Thanksgiving holiday.
The continental United States is well-prepared for its winter heating needs with 3,920 Bcf of natural gas in storage. This is the third-greatest amount of natural gas in storage recorded at the end of a storage season and the largest amount since 2016, when there was 3,977 Bcf in storage, ac…
Without the need for air conditioning or heating, California power prices lost value in the Nov. 5 through Nov. 12 trading period.
Increased solar generation has precipitated an added need for natural gas-fired power between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. to meet California demand, according to a new U.S. Energy Information Administration analysis.
Western daytime power prices continued to sag without support from demand in the Oct. 22 through Oct. 29 trading period.
Western daytime power prices in the Oct. 15 through Oct. 22 trading period deflated from heat-prompted highs as temperatures, particularly in Southern California, returned to seasonal norms by Oct. 21.
A series of generation and distribution outages—off-line nuclear generation, public-safety power shut-offs, and forces majeures—pushed Western energy prices higher. In the Oct. 8 through Oct. 15 trading period, natural gas and power prices jumped much higher in response to those issues and h…
Wholesale energy prices decreased in the second quarter of 2020, according to a California Independent System Operator Department of Market Monitoring report.
Wildfire smoke particulates dispersed throughout California are impeding sunlight from reaching solar panels, diminishing production.
Western power prices ended the Sept. 17 to Sept. 24 trading period lower as demand remained relatively static throughout the week.
Cooler weather, rampant wildfires, and natural gas production shut in by hurricanes combined over the past week to confuse Western energy prices. There was no unified pattern in either power or natural gas price movements over the Sept. 10 to Sept. 17 trading period.
Peak power prices in the western United States fell as heat exited and demand started to flag following the Labor Day weekend.
It could be expected that record heat forecast through Sept. 7 across the West would give regional prices a uniform boost in anticipation of higher demand, but that scenario hadn’t played out yet as of Sept. 4.
Although extreme heat appears to no longer be triggering high energy prices, there are now wildfires and hurricanes exerting pressure on power and natural gas values.
The continuation of an extreme heat wave across the western United States caused energy prices and demand to soar between Aug. 13 and 20. It also sparked Palo Verde daytime power to post two consecutive days of record high prices.
With an excessive-heat warning and heat advisories issued across the western United States, the anticipation of higher demand bolstered regional energy prices with the potential for prices to trend higher still as the heat persists.
In addition to ongoing storage restrictions across the Southern California Gas Co. system, transmission in the region was constricted by pipeline outages that exerted pressure on prices.
Natural gas and electricity prices rose this week as Southern California Gas Co. imposed additional restrictions on its system and daytime temperatures surged.
Natural gas will temporarily not be flowing into or out of the Aliso Canyon storage field as the facility undergoes high inventory shut-in maintenance.
Renewables curtailments on the California Independent Operator System grid are always a hot summertime topic; however, during the COVID-19 pandemic, conventional demand and energy-use patterns are no longer readily comparable.
Western energy price movements remain relatively subdued, but an expected heat wave could drive both demand and prices higher.
Warm weather across the United States during the first half of July could translate into greater demand and a boost to natural gas markets, but the specter of COVID-19 looms.
Western energy prices lifted as weather conditions modulated to seasonally normal temperatures, with triple-digit highs posted in portions of Arizona and the San Joaquin Valley the week of June 22.
Natural gas prices at the benchmark Henry Hub reached a low of $1.38/MMBtu June 16, the lowest price since December 1998 "in nominal terms," according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Supply constraints typically don't trigger price constraints, but that appears to be the situation in Southern California.
Pacific Northwest nighttime power prices retreated underwater with ample hydro generation in the region. Mid-Columbia off-peak power spent most of the May 28 to June 4 trading period in negative pricing territory. The hub dropped $7.65 in trading, ending at minus 50 cents/MWh June 4. The day…
Triple-digit temperatures pushed up Western energy prices and demand, particularly as searing highs were charted May 27.
As Pacific Northwest hydro generation continued increasing the week of May 18, Mid-Columbia pricing went underwater and Columbia Generating Station reduced generation to compensate.
With a return to seasonally normal conditions across the West, energy demand and prices fell as the week progressed.
Warm weather across the West this week prompted a continued, gradual increase in power demand for cooling, which lent support to regional peak power prices.
The final California snowpack measurement of the season shows March and April precipitation failed to offset extreme dryness early in the water year.
In recent weeks, California Independent System Operator demand has been softened by state stay-at-home orders; however, usage this week climbed as the week progressed, mirroring rising temperatures.
