U.S. power grid added 15 GW of utility-scale generating capacity in first half of 2022

The latest inventory of electric generators from the United States Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported 15.1 GW of new utility-scale electric generating capacity entered operation during the first half of 2022, and another 29 GW of capacity awaits by year end.

Nearly half of the planned new 29.4 GW of capacity will come from solar in the remainder of the year, at 13.6 GW. Wind will make up another 6 GW. Many of these will activate in December to capitalize on tax incentives. However, this represents less than was planned at the beginning of the year. The EIA said that respondents to its survey noted 3.7 GW less of planned solar additions than at the beginning of the year, likely due to pandemic-inflicted pains to supply chains and a U.S. Department of Commerce tariff investigation.

In terms of operating capacity, the largest contributor to new generation came from wind, followed by natural gas, solar and battery storage. Wind accounted for 34 percent of new deployments, the largest of which — the 999 MW Traverse Wind Project — launched in Oklahoma. Texas carried the most new wind capacity, though, accounting for 40 percent of the new inventory.

Additionally, the Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory — a monthly compilation of preliminary data on U.S. utility-scale power plants of at least 1 MW — also tracked 15.1 GW of electric generating capacity slated for retirement this year. In the first half, 8.8 GW were already retired. An overwhelming 76 percent of retirements will come from the coal sector, followed by natural gas (12 percent) and nuclear (9 percent).

In terms of coal, the largest manifestation of this included the 1,305 MW William H. Zimmer coal plant in Ohio and the coal-based 1,205 MW Morgantown Generating Station in Maryland. In June, the 769 MW Palisades nuclear power facility in Michigan also retired.