Page 13 - AECI 2022 BALANCE AR copyright 2023
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Natural gas fleet sets performance records
Associated’s natural gas fleet provides essential intermediate and peaking power generation that works in concert with
the rest of the generating fleet to ensure reliable electricity. To deliver power, natural gas units first must successfully
start when called upon. In 2022, the natural gas fleet achieved its all-time best for this reliability measure, successfully
starting 98.8% of the time – 1,620 out of 1,640 possible starts.
Natural gas plant work adds affordable megawatts for members
System all-time peaks in 2021 and again in 2022 validate the importance of Associated’s ongoing
efforts to optimize capacity at existing natural gas units, the least expensive way to add valuable
capacity to the system when it is most needed. Even before 2021’s Winter Storm Uri, 44 MW of
natural gas capacity was added with an additional 42 MW in 2022.
Gas fleet all-time best start reliability
98.8
98.5
98.1
97
2019 2020 2021 2022 “Gas plant efficiency projects started even before 2021’s Winter Storm Uri. We saw the
future need for incremental capacity and the potential of low-cost additions, and that’s why
we’ve purposefully pursued getting the most we can out of our existing fleet.”
– Ken Wilmot, senior vice president and chief operations officer
#1 • 131 days continuous operation
#3 • Capacity factor #1 • Heat rate #1 • Heat rate #1 • Capacity factor
#3 • Net generation #3 • Capacity factor
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