Are extreme winter events the last salvation for PJM coal?

From 2012-2021 , the PJM market will see 32 GW of coal-fired capacity retire. Meanwhile, a full out gas combined cycle building boom is underway with an equal 32 GW of new plants entering the market over that same timeframe, as PJM is perhaps the only market in North America where gas investment has outpaced solar, wind, and storage. In recent years, extreme winter events have provided momentary relief for generators beleaguered by an energy market stuck in neutral. Yet on the flip side, mild winters can starve coal generators of much needed energy margin opportunities. Are extreme winter events the last salvation for PJM coal? Or taking it a step further, could a mild winter provide the final nail for struggling coal assets? At stake is the future of around 17 GW of coal capacity.