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National Electric Transmission Congestion Study - W2agz.com

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November 3, 2005, for Henry Hub gas, through<br />

2008; the Energy Information Administration’s<br />

Annual Energy Outlook 2006 reference case<br />

forecast prices for 2010 through 2030; and an interpolation<br />

between the two sources for the 2009<br />

price. Regional basis differentials and monthly<br />

price variations were calculated for various delivery<br />

points within the Nation using regression<br />

models reflecting historical relationships for<br />

each delivery point relative to Henry Hub costs<br />

and NYMEX seasonal price patterns.<br />

• Natural gas high case (east)—The high case for<br />

natural gas was created by determining the standard<br />

deviation for NYMEX gas futures prices in<br />

proportion to the base case, and defining the high<br />

price forecast as the base case price plus one standard<br />

deviation.<br />

• Natural gas low case (east)—For the long term,<br />

the EIA’s Annual Energy Outlook 2006 low price<br />

case forecast for 2008-2015 was used as the low<br />

case for the congestion studies. For the near term,<br />

the low case used the base case price less one<br />

standard deviation of NYMEX gas futures prices.<br />

• Natural gas in the western analysis—The western<br />

analysis used pre-determined gas price scenarios<br />

with $5/mmBtu gas in 2005 as the base<br />

case and high price scenarios of $7 and $9. Western<br />

gas market hub and burner-tip area price differentials<br />

were estimated using the NW Power<br />

and Conservation Council’s methodology from<br />

its Fifth Power Plan. Fixed transportation costs<br />

(capacity charges) for gas delivery from regional<br />

hubs to consumption areas were calculated using<br />

the California Energy Commission’s Energy<br />

Policy Report 2005 data and method, and are included<br />

with other fixed costs of the scenario.<br />

• Coal—For the eastern analysis, the EIA’s Annual<br />

Energy Outlook 2006 base price forecast<br />

was used for the coal price series for all scenarios,<br />

because coal is generally purchased under<br />

long-term contracts with less price variability<br />

than gas or oil, and because coal-fired generation<br />

usually operates as a baseload resource and rarely<br />

sets the marginal cost of electricity. For the West,<br />

coal prices are based on the EIA’s 2005 Energy<br />

Outlook, and modified for each delivery area to<br />

reflect transportation costs specific to that area’s<br />

<strong>com</strong>bination of coal sources and destination<br />

distance.<br />

Hydro availability<br />

The western analysis assumed average hydro conditions<br />

and hydropower availability for both 2008 and<br />

2015. Hydro conditions, however, significantly affect<br />

western power production patterns and costs.<br />

Other assumptions<br />

In the Eastern Interconnection analysis the load and<br />

generation assumptions were based on those reported<br />

by utilities in their Form 714 filings to<br />

FERC. As such no specific assumptions were made<br />

with regard to load growth, energy efficiency, and<br />

new wind or nuclear generation for the study period.<br />

In the Western Interconnection analysis the following<br />

assumptions were made:<br />

General Generation Resources. Existing resources<br />

are resources assumed to be online by<br />

12/31/2008. These resources were identified<br />

through the Western <strong>Electric</strong>ity Coordinating<br />

Council’s (WECC) power flow case (HS2A PF)<br />

and the SSG-WI 2003, CEC, RMATS, and other<br />

data bases. Generating resource capacities are based<br />

on the power flow case. Thermal unit capacities are<br />

net of station service. Net-to-grid generation from<br />

cogeneration resources is not explicitly modeled<br />

except in Alberta. The power flow capacities used<br />

in the model are very similar to those in CEC, Platts,<br />

and other data sources.<br />

Renewable Generation. Hourly wind shapes used<br />

to model all wind generating resources were supplied<br />

by the <strong>National</strong> Renewable Energy Laboratory<br />

(NREL), with the exception of CAISO’s wind<br />

shapes for its areas based on actual data. Wind is<br />

treated as a fixed input to the model. Geothermal<br />

plants were modeled as base load plants as confirmed<br />

by the Clean and Diversified Energy Initiatives<br />

Geothermal Task Force. Data to model specific<br />

plants in California were provided by the<br />

CAISO. Solar production profiles were provided by<br />

NREL.<br />

DSM/Energy Efficiency. Existing and some forecasted<br />

DSM and energy efficiency programs were<br />

embedded in the load forecast. These amounts were<br />

U.S. Department of Energy / <strong>National</strong> <strong>Electric</strong> <strong>Transmission</strong> <strong>Congestion</strong> <strong>Study</strong> / 2006 11

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