Power plants in the Midwest and Northeast are more ready for deep freezes this winter, but big questions remain about how much gas producers have shored up systems to ensure they can deliver, according to a report released by the North American Electric Reliability Corp. on Thursday.
The NERC report said that outside of Texas, there is “little to no information to indicate that upstream gas producers, gatherers, and processors have improved winterization of their operations.”
Gas-powered generators are the backbone of the electric grid. And they’re critical during extended cold weather sieges when wind and solar power can’t be relied on. Confidence in the gas sector was undercut by severe production failures in two big storms since 2021 that froze power equipment and slashed gas production.
“The gas industry has done a lot of work,” sharing guidance on winterization actions, said John Moura, NERC director of reliability assessment and system analysis. But unlike the electric grid, no single agency sets rules for the gas industry.
