The Myth of Baseload Power in Modern Power Grids

The document challenges the common use of the term "baseload" as a justification for favoring specific energy resources, clarifying that "baseload" refers to the minimum constant load of an electric system rather than a specific type of power plant. It argues that describing certain resources as "baseload resources" does not prove they are the most cost-effective or reliable options for meeting that demand, nor does it guarantee grid security during peak demand. The brief aims to distinguish between "baseload," "dispatchable," and "firm" resources to counter rhetoric suggesting that retiring such resources inherently risks grid reliability.

• The term "baseload" is technically a description of the electricity load that is present at all times, rather than a description of the resources used to meet that load.
• Labeling specific energy resources as "baseload resources" does not establish that they are the most economical choice for supplying baseload power, nor does it mean they are superior in providing grid reliability, resilience, or security, particularly when demand exceeds baseload levels.
• There are distinct meanings for "baseload," "dispatchable," and "firm" resources in a diversely resourced grid, contradicting rhetoric that suggests grid reliability is endangered specifically by the retirement of resources labeled with these terms.

APA

Ph.D., J. D. C. G. (2025). The Myth of Baseload Power in Modern Power Grids. Institute for Policy Integrity. https://policyintegrity.org/publications/detail/the-myth-of-baseload-power-in-modern-power-grids

Chicago

Ph.D., Jennifer Danis, Christoph Graf,. The Myth of Baseload Power in Modern Power Grids. Institute for Policy Integrity, 2025. https://policyintegrity.org/publications/detail/the-myth-of-baseload-power-in-modern-power-grids.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Ph.D. |first1=Jennifer Danis, Christoph Graf, |title=The Myth of Baseload Power in Modern Power Grids |publisher=Institute for Policy Integrity |date=2 September 2025 |url=https://policyintegrity.org/publications/detail/the-myth-of-baseload-power-in-modern-power-grids |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{phd2025myth, author = {Ph.D., Jennifer Danis, Christoph Graf,}, title = {{The Myth of Baseload Power in Modern Power Grids}}, institution = {Institute for Policy Integrity}, year = {2025}, month = sep, url = {https://policyintegrity.org/publications/detail/the-myth-of-baseload-power-in-modern-power-grids}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }