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New England Power Grid Operations During August 21 Partial Eclipse

However, three factors took place Monday that tempered the effect of the eclipse on electricity demand and PV output:
* Human-demand effect: New Englanders departed from their normal routines to watch the eclipse, which reduced the amount of power being consumed during those hours. This in turn offset the amount of power that was not being generated by PV systems.
* Cloud coverage: High clouds over parts of the region reduced solar panel output for a majority of the morning leading up to the eclipse, which diminished any dramatic change that might have been seen on a cloud-free day.
* Lower temperatures, less AC: A noticeable temperature drop reduced electricity demand as air conditioning systems did not need to work as hard to maintain comfortable temperatures.
The graph below compares the day's demand curve to
The most striking effect on the demand curve was seen as the moon began to retreat from the path of sun. At around
Click here to view graph (http://isonewswire.com/storage/eclipse%20load%20curve_2017_v1.png?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1503428850298)
Sufficient resources were available to cover the change in electricity usage, and the regional power system operated under normal conditions throughout the eclipse.
Related: ISO-NE prepared to operate grid through partial solar eclipse in August (http://isonewswire.com/updates/2017/6/12/iso-ne-prepared-to-operate-grid-through-partial-solar-eclips.html)
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