America Is Awash In Excess Generating Capacity: Reserve Margins Typically Are 40% to 100% Above Reliability Requirements

Though the US economy is now bigger than in 2007 and our population is larger than ever, the US electric system is awash with excess generating capacity for the summer of 2013.  The North American Electricity Reliability Corporation's 2013 Summer Report shows that reserve margins that normally must be 15% are typically 22% to 30%.

In other words, the 2013 summer anticipated reserve margins are 40% to 100% higher than required. That is the case in the massive PJM area, where the anticipated reserve margin this summer is 29%.
http://www.nerc.com/pa/RAPA/ra/Reliability%20Assessments%20DL/2013SRA_Final.pdf at page 7.

Of course, Texas remains determined to be different.  Only Texas faces an anticipated 2013 reserve margin below required levels.  America's energy capital is once more  and uniquely short of electricity.