What is good for the goose may not be good for the gander. Exelon (EXC) needs natural gas pricing to rise, putting upwards pressure on East Coast and Midwest PJM electricity pricing auctions. Higher electricity prices will allow EXC to realize a higher spread between the low cost of its massive nuclear power generation and revenues. EXC is the lowest cost merchant power producer due to its extensive network of nuclear generation facilities, but the auction markets have not been cooperating, as prices remain depressed going out to 2015.
Although the Henry Hub pricing for natural gas remains below the cost of coal on a $/MWH basis, the east coast region for natural gas pricing, where the PJM...