Coal Steps Up: How Winter Storm Fern Exposed the Grid’s Cold‑Weather Realities
- Tony Zelinski
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
Winter Storm Fern delivered a sharp reminder of how America’s power grid behaves when extreme cold pushes demand to the edge. According to new EIA data, electricity consumption surged across the Lower 48 during the week ending January 25, 2026, and coal-fired generation became the unexpected workhorse that helped keep the lights on.
A 31% Spike in Coal Generation
As temperatures plunged, coal-fired output jumped 31% from the previous week. That’s a dramatic reversal from early January, when mild weather kept coal generation well below 2025 levels. Natural gas also ramped up—rising 14%—but renewables (solar, wind, hydro) all declined as the storm reduced output.
The Fuel Mix During the Storm
During the peak of Fern’s impact, the grid leaned heavily on dispatchable resources:
Natural gas:Â 38% of total generation
Coal:Â 21% (up from 17% the week before)
Nuclear:Â 18%
Renewables:Â Down across the board due to weather conditions
This pattern mirrors what we’ve seen in past cold snaps—February 2021 and January 2025 among them—where coal’s ability to ramp quickly provided critical reliability support when other sources faltered.
What This Means for Grid Reliability
Winter Storm Fern underscores a recurring theme: In extreme weather, grid operators still rely on coal as a flexible, dispatchable backup when demand spikes or renewable output dips.
As the energy transition accelerates, these events highlight the importance of maintaining a balanced portfolio—one that includes firm capacity capable of responding instantly when the grid is stressed.
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