Natural-Gas

The bulk power system is becoming more reliant on natural gas for generation. Natural gas is the largest fuel source by capacity and the second largest by actual generation in the Western Interconnection. The electric power sector is the largest consumer of natural gas in the western United States.

Gas offers economic, environmental, and reliability advantages as a fuel for power generation. It is a critical resource because the flexibility and quick-start capability of some gas technologies enable the system to adapt to fluctuating output from VER and other changes in demand.

There are over 40,000 miles of transmission pipeline in the western U.S. that carry gas from production sites to consumers, including power plants. About half of the gas-fired power plants in the Western Interconnection get their fuel supply directly from these pipelines.

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