Wind Curtailment in the Southwest Power Pool
Union of Concerned Scientists
Project Completed 2021
The Union of Concerned Scientists hired Synapse to conduct an analysis of wind supply in Southwest Power Pool, motivated by the understanding that wind is being curtailed during hours with potentially displaceable coal generation. The analysis examines issues of wind oversupply, wind curtailment, and the relationship between wind curtailment and coal generation. The aim of this analysis is to characterize when wind curtailment is taking place, how much curtailment has occurred historically, and how curtailing coal generation instead of wind can provide more value to the region in terms of reduced greenhouse gas emissions from coal plants and reduced costs to ratepayers.