Ownership and siting of new natural gas power plants could shift away from traditional utilities if independent power producers (IPP) and industrials take the lead in meeting rising electricity needs. This new landscape could alter regional growth trends as well as fuel purchasing habits, according to experts.
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Investments made by natural gas-fired generators have been instrumental in making natural gas the single-largest source used to generate electricity in the United States, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).
Electric utility companies currently own 53% of the U.S. natural gas generation fleet, EIA data showed. The relative ease in switching the plants on and off helps electric utilities meet customer demand requirements almost instantaneously.