Gas, a ‘bridge fuel,’ dominates U.S. power at any price

Gas, a ‘bridge fuel,’ dominates U.S. power at any price

09/20/2022

Surging natural gas prices normally result in booming coal generation. But 2022 isn’t normal.

Power companies are shrugging off the highest gas prices in over a decade as they ramp up electricity generation at U.S. gas plants, which are producing 7 percent more power through September compared to last year. Coal generation, by contrast, is down 8 percent.

The unusual dynamic reflects the energy transition in America. Gas has long been referred to as the bridge fuel that would connect a period of declining coal usage to a future ruled by renewables. The U.S. is now stuck in the middle of that bridge, unable to tap the full promise of clean energy, nor turn back to coal after a decade of power plant retirements.

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