Mid-Summer Peak Season Update (And it’s not over)
What a summer so far — and there’s still more to come. Here’s a quick look at how the peak season is shaping up across the regions where EnPowered supports Commercial and Industrial (C&I) customers in lowering their capacity costs, transmission costs, and (in Ontario) Global Adjustment costs..
Ontario (IESO)
This has been an unprecedented year in the Ontario ICI peak season due to extremely high temperatures and the Market Renewal Program that occurred on the 1st May 2024.
The first half of the season has been intense:
- 20+ days at or above 30°C since June.
- Demand peaked at nearly 25,000 MW on June 24
- This year’s current #5 peak surpasses the #1 peak in most prior years
- Unprecedented volatility in real-time demand, with swings of ±1,000 MW in only five-minutes, gaps in real time data, and delays in data reporting from the system operator. The cause of these anomalies is still unclear.
With the likelihood of another heatwave in late August or early September, the season is far from over – and then we see what winter will bring. Our goal remains clear — capture all five peaks, maximizing Global Adjustment savings for our customers.
PJM
PJM is experiencing record-breaking demand this summer. The top peak so far — 160,464 MW during the June heatwave — set a new all-time high. The current top 5 peaks are split between two major heat events in June and July.
Notably:
- More market participation (load reductions) is evident this year, a positive sign as capacity prices are set to rise by 25% next year so this means more customers are participating than ever before.
- Transmission zones such as PPL, Penelec, and APS have largely avoided curtailment this summer due to high winter demand setting their peak obligations early.
With six weeks left in the peak season, another major heatwave could easily shuffle the leaderboard.
New York (NYISO)
While the official peak season in New York runs from July 1 to August 31, the first major heat wave came in June setting the highest usage values on June 23 with near-record demand levels. Nevertheless, since June doesn’t count in New York, the current #1 peak occurred on July 29, which also saw demand levels not seen in many years.
For our NY customers, this season has had relatively few curtailment events — but the final weeks could still bring surprises.
What This Means for Your Business
Across all markets, peak season performance is more critical than ever. For Ontario, IESO’s data challenges highlight the importance of high quality peak predictions to navigate through recent changes. In PJM and NYISO, rising capacity costs and shifting peak patterns mean proactive strategies can deliver substantial savings.
If your business isn’t currently participating in a demand management program — or if you’re unsure whether you’re capturing all available savings — now is the time to explore your options. The peaks are still coming, and every MW counts.
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