Natural gas prices: New standard in Pacific Northwest power competition
- Barakat and Chamberlin, Inc., Portland, OR (United States)
In the Pacific Northwest, combined-cycle combustion turbines (CCCT) have become the resource most likely to be selected as power purchasers decrease their dependence upon the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA). Gas prices are the crucial element setting the market-clearing price of new electricity generation. The overwhelming weight of factors controlling prices is in favor of generally low, if any, real growth of commodity prices. The main factor is intense global, continental, and regional gas-on-gas competition. Gas supplies to the Pacific Northwest are extremely abundant. The interstate pipeline system has sufficient capacity to transport the gas required for the expected additions of gas-fired resources. Pipeline expansions are being delayed and down-sized because current capacity release programs are supplying the required demand. The chief economic uncertainty is the rate treatment of pipeline expansions, being decided this year at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The uncertainty -- whether expansion costs are rolled-in or incremental -- amounts to as much as $0.50/Mcf.
- OSTI ID:
- 86031
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-941024-; ISBN 0-7918-1213-8; TRN: 95:017405
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 8. COGEN-TURBO power congress and exposition: gas turbines in cogeneration and utility, industrial and independent power generation, Portland, OR (United States), 25-27 Oct 1994; Other Information: PBD: 1994; Related Information: Is Part Of ASME cogen turbo power `94. IGTI-Volume 9; Kidd, H.A.; Cooke, D.H.; Fransson, T.H.; Greitzer, E.M. [eds.]; PB: 759 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
2004 Pacific Northwest Loads and Resources Study.
2003 Pacific Northwest Loads and Resources Study.