A Staff Report on MONTHLY REPORT COST AND QUALITY OF FUELS FOR ELECTRIC UTILITY PLANTS Data for September 1977

摘要

Deliveries of coal totaled 45.9 million tons, an increase of 5.0 million tons above shipments made during September 1976. Oil purchases from steam-electric generation reached 47.4 million barrels this month, an increase of 5.8 million barrels over shipments made in September of last year. Gas deliveries to steam-electric units totaled 308.6 billion cubic feet (Bcf), up 11.2 percent from last year's level. The abnormally high gas deliveries in August 1977 and September 1977, as compared to the same months in 1976, were due primarily to increased gas consumption in the "Sunbelt States" ranging from Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas to Nevada and California. The reasons for this regional increase in gas consumption are three-fold:1) the severe drought conditions in the West resulting in poor hydro-electric production and a corresponding increased reliance on gas and oil-fired generation;2) abnormally warm weather resulting in increased air conditioning loads;and 3) the availability of gas supplies for electric power generation especially in the unregulated intrastate gas markets in Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi.