In the early morning hours of Jan. 25, 2026, as Winter Storm Fern moved through the region, temperatures began to drop to bone-chilling levels, and power demand rose. Across Old Dominion Electric Cooperative’s service territories in Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware, temperatures stayed below freezing throughout the week.
In each state, ODEC’s member-consumers stayed warm with the help of dispatchable energy resources. Extreme temperatures create a massive surge in the amount of electricity needed—or demand—and it’s up to ODEC, in close collaboration with its 11 member distribution cooperatives, to make sure power remains reliable even through periods of high demand.
To meet those peaks, during the times when our lives rely on power the most, ODEC calls on a variety of generation sources. Two of the most important and reliable types of generation are baseload power plants and dispatchable peaking facilities.
It may sound as though the two are entirely different. They’re not. Consider them as long and short-distance runners competing for the same team to win a meet. They both power our electric grid—and they both deliver certainty to communities—but they’re used in their own unique way. Together, they provide reliable electricity—all day, every day.
Understanding how they both work will help you appreciate why a ODEC’s energy portfolio—complete with dispatchable and baseload power—is built to power and empower the communities we serve.
Baseload Power: The Grid’s Foundation
Baseload power plants provide a steady supply of electricity around the clock. They’re the long-distance runners of a generation fleet. These plants run most of the time and supply the steady power needed to meet everyday demand. Often fueled by nuclear, natural gas, and coal, baseload power plants form the backbone of the electric system.
ODEC has ownership in five power generation facilities in Virginia and Maryland, incorporating baseload fuel sources and natural gas. Three of those facilities—Wildcat Point Generation Facility, Clover Power Station, and North Anna Power Station—operate as “always available” baseload power.
Because baseload plants operate continuously, they are designed to be dependable and cost-effective over long periods. They help provide stable electricity for homes, schools, hospitals, and businesses, no matter the time of day.
Despite their around-the-clock reliability, today’s baseload power plants are becoming cleaner and far more efficient. One of the biggest advancements is the combined-cycle natural gas plant. Instead of producing electricity just once from a single burn of fuel, or “cycle,” plants like Wildcat Point, in Cecil County, Maryland, generate power in two stages. First, natural gas spins a turbine to create electricity. Then, rather than letting the hot exhaust escape as waste, the plant captures that heat to produce steam, which spins a second turbine and generates even more electricity. By making use of energy that would otherwise be lost, combined-cycle plants can reach efficiency levels above 60 percent—meaning more electricity from the same amount of fuel and lower emissions per megawatt-hour.
Peaking Plants: Meeting High-Demand Moments
Because we don’t use the same amount of electricity throughout the day, baseload power needs additional support during times of high demand from peaking power facilities. When demand begins to rise, peaking power facilities are called upon to provide a cushion against additional electricity use.
Like a runner who specializes in the 100-yard dash, these “peakers” are designed to start quickly and provide power during short periods of high demand. They act as a safety net for the grid, helping prevent outages when electricity use spikes.
Peaking power plants like ODEC’s Louisa Generation Facility and Marsh Run Generation Facility, are typically fueled by natural gas. Many peaking plants also have a backup fuel source, which allows the plant to run even in rare instances when natural gas is unavailable. While peaking plants typically operate for fewer hours, they are critical for maintaining reliability when members need it the most.
New Reliability Challenges
Keeping the electric system reliable has become more complex. After nearly two decades of stable electric load growth, our grid is experiencing an unprecedented surge in electricity demand—the largest growth the country has seen since World War II.
As demand grows, maintaining a reliable mix of generation resources has become more important than ever. During Winter Storm Fern, for example, dispatchable generation accounted for more than 90% of the resources responsible for keeping communities warm. By strategically balancing state-of-the-art dispatchable baseload power facilities with peaking facilities, ODEC enables a steady flow of power for its members—every time and everywhere it’s needed.
Just like the different types of runners—both of which are essential to win a meet—many types of generation are needed to win the supply and demand race. Baseload and peaking plants may operate differently, but they share the same goal: maintaining reliable service for communities when it’s needed most—today and in the future.
