Power Blackout Risks Loom For Quarter Of All Americans
https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/power-blackout-risks-loom-quarter-all-americansThe US heating season has officially begun, and new warnings show that a quarter of all Americans could experience energy emergencies this winter if temperatures fall below average due to tight fossil fuel supplies.
Power grids from the Great Lakes to Louisiana, New England, Carolinas, and all of Texas are the most at risk for power supply shortfalls during high-demand periods, according to Bloomberg, citing a new report from the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), a regulatory body that manages grid stability.
NERC said a cold snap for an extended period could spark grid strain due to soaring power demand from households and businesses. This would cause supplies of natural gas, coal, and backup diesel generators to draw down more quickly and possibly experience shortages.
Blackouts are likely this winter. Green energy has made it worse.
The tightest power supplies are expected to be in the central US, managed by the Midcontinent Independent System Operator due to a large number of generators shut last winter and Gulf Coast power plants aren't shielded against cold snaps. Then there's New England, consists of six states in the US Northeast, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont, which faces NatGas shortfalls due to inadequate pipeline infrastructure.
"There is a very real possibility that New England could be facing a dire set of consequences this winter," James Danly, a commissioner on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, warned Thursday.
Rapid decarbonization of the electricity sector is one of the main reasons America's power grid is less reliable than ever before. Solar and wind are inconsistent, as Europe found out last winter, which only paves the path for a nuclear future.
