Much of U.S. at heightened risk for summer power outages, regulator warns
A large swath of the United States is facing a heightened risk of blackouts this summer, a perennial danger as electricity use soars and extreme weather tests the nation’s aging power grid, according to the regulatory authority that monitors the electricity system.
The seasonal electricity forecast warns that regional power grids extending from the Upper Midwest south through Texas may lack the power needed to meet all customer needs in the event of prolonged periods of high temperatures.
The shortfall, according to a new report from the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, or NERC, a nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing risks to power networks, is driven in large part by a steep increase in projected electricity demand. Power demand is sharply up since last summer, increasing at more than double the rate it did between 2023 and 2024.
The U.S. is now projected to need 10 gigawatts more electricity in the upcoming summer season than it did last summer — the equivalent amount of power it takes to keep the lights on in as many as 10 million homes.
The surge in demand is driven by a number of factors, according to earlier data published by federal and state regulators. The proliferation of energy-hungry data centers and manufacturing plants is a key cause. They are consuming energy faster than utilities can bring new power plants online. Additionally, scorching temperatures drive more air-conditioning use in homes and businesses, creating a major strain on electricity systems.
Click on the link for the full article
