Climate Changed
Power Is Trading Below Zero in Middle America Amid Strong Winds
- Wholesale power prices dropped below zero in Plains states
- Wind farms spinning near-record power in strong breezes
This article is for subscribers only.
Strong and steady breezes are helping states in the central U.S. generate so much electricity from wind turbines that wholesale power prices have fallen below zero.
It’s a relatively new phenomenon in America’s spot power markets. When there’s an overabundance of solar or wind, grid operators send prices plunging to negative levels -- a signal to generators that they need to take supplies offline so they don’t overload transmission lines. On Friday, wind output surged to as much as 17,264 megawatts across the Southwest Power Pool -- a grid that stretches from North Dakota to Texas. That’s more than 60% of the region’s power.