Mid-America Interconnected Network (MAIN)
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Projected Change in Electricity Generation from 1996 for Full Competition Cases |
| 1996-2005 | 1996-2015 |
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- Electricity sales are projected to grow between 1.2 and 1.7 percent per year from 1996 through 2015. The increased demand is met in part by an increase of over 20 billion kilowatthours in net power purchases from other regions.
- There is uncertainty in the level of growth in coal-fired generation. In 2005, the early retirement of four nuclear units assumed in the high fossil case results in an increase in coal-fired generation. In the low fossil case, increased generation from biomass power plants as a result of the assumed renewable portfolio standard results in a smaller increase in coal-fired generation. By 2015, the projected range of coal-fired generation is primarily due to uncertainty about electricity demand growth.
- The building of almost 4 gigawatts of new coal-fired capacity combined with increasing capacity utilization (from 57 percent in 1996 to about 80 percent in 2015) produces the increased generation.
- Gas-fired generation increases, with capacity increases of 17 gigawatts of new gas-fired combustion turbines and 9 gigawatts of combined-cycle units.
- In 2015, natural gas consumption is 0.2 quadrillion Btu higher than 1996 levels, and coal consumption is 0.2 to 0.5 quadrillion Btu higher than in 1996.
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