US Northeast oil-fired electric generation has accounted for about 2.8% of total generation in 2014, up from less than 1% during the same time last year, according to data from regional grid operator ISO New England. ISO New England, which handles electric markets for Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont, showed generation from oil-fired units has averaged 9.893 GWh/day in 2014 through February 23, according to data released Wednesday. That compares with about 3.022 GWh/day, or 0.94%, during the same 54-day period last year. ISO New England’s oil-fired generation has been particularly high this winter because of several cold snaps and also a winter reliability program initiated by the grid operator that provided a number of incentives for oil use in power generation. The data for oil-fired generation only considers power plants that burn exclusively petroleum products. Dual-fuel units that can […]