Electric utilities that are required to meet stringent environmental standards must purchase low-sulfur fuel oil at premium prices. Large volumes of gas are also transported by pipeline to the Middle Atlantic and South Atlantic Census Divisions. Gas receipts in these Census divisions and in California can vary considerably from year to year because some electric utilities switch between use of petroleum and gas in dual-fired generating units. The highest volume of gas receipts at electric utilities occurs during the summer months when demand for electricity peaks and when there is a greater amount available to electric utilities because of lower demands from residential and commercial consumers. In some northern parts of the United States, receipts of gas at electric utilities are limited during the winter months due to the priority for residential heating and industry needs.
Many electric utilities have the capability of burning either petroleum or gas.
The cost of the fuel is usually the determining factor. One major advantage of gas over all other fossil fuels is that it is a clean burning fuel. Therefore, some electric utilities use gas in order to comply with environmental regulations. Data Sources Data in the following tables were obtained from two sources. More detailed statistics on stocks and consumption are published in the Electric Power Monthly.