Electricity shortage warning increases across the US

From California to Texas and Indiana, power operators warn that power generation capacity is struggling to keep up with demand, which could lead to a shortage of electricity. power-off continuously during heat waves or other peak times of the year.

California’s grid operator said on Wednesday it anticipates a shortage of power supply this summer, particularly in the event of extreme heat or wildfires, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The stand-alone system operator Midcontacular – which oversees a large power grid that spans much of the US Midwest – said power shortages could force it to take emergency measures to meet electricity demand. in summer.

In Texas, where several power plants recently shut down for maintenance, the grid operator warned of difficult conditions ahead of the wave. hot expected to last next week.

The risk of power shortages is increasing across the United States as traditional power plants are shut down faster than replacing them with renewable or stored energy. Power grids come under pressure as the United States makes a historic transition from conventional power plants powered by coal and natural gas to cleaner forms of energy, like wind and solar power . The long-standing nuclear power plants are expected to be decommissioned in many parts of the country.

Plus, another challenge is that wind and solar farms – one of the cheapest forms of electricity generation – don’t produce electricity all the time and need large energy storage stations for later use. . Although a large number of storage stations are under construction, operators warn speeds may not be fast enough to make up for the closure of traditional round-the-clock power plants.

Power operators are grappling with the question of how to boost energy storage and other new technologies while keeping traditional power plants from shutting down too quickly. Accelerating the development of renewable energy and energy storage stations is especially difficult in the context of current inflation and supply chain disruptions.

“Every market in the world is trying to solve the same problem,” said Brad Jones, head of the Texas grid operator. “We’re all trying to figure out how to take advantage of as many renewable resources as possible.”

U.S. power grids face at the same time the risk of power shortages due to supply constraints and other challenges. Continuous, large-scale power outages have become more frequent over the past 20 years, in part due to years of grid failure and extreme weather events. Along with that, the growth trend of tram could generate additional electricity demand in the coming years, putting additional pressure on the system.