'Stretched to the limit': Heat wave prompts US electrical grid emergency

Key Points:

• The U.S. Department of Energy declared an emergency as a heat wave threatens a vast portion of the nation's electrical grid, with 160 million people in 30 states under extreme temperature alerts.
• Secretary of Energy Chris Wright issued an Energy Emergency Alert directing PJM Interconnections, the largest grid operator serving 65 million customers across 13 states, to take measures to prevent blackouts and prioritize essential services like hospitals.
• PJM forecasts a record-breaking electricity peak demand of 166,304 megawatts on Thursday, driven by soaring heat indices exceeding 100 degrees in major cities along the East Coast, Midwest, and South.
• Other grid operators including NYISO, MISO, and ISO-New England also anticipate near-record demand levels, with challenges expected due to limited electricity imports from Canada, which is simultaneously experiencing a heat wave.
• Experts warn of significant strain on the grid during the July 4th holiday weekend, with residential cooling driving demand and potential for rolling blackouts in some areas; grid operators are closely monitoring conditions and have contingency plans to maintain supply.