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'Stretched to the limit': Heat wave prompts US electrical grid emergency
Yahoo • • business
Key Points:
- The U.S. Department of Energy has declared an emergency due to a heat wave threatening the electrical grid across 30 states, with 160 million people under extreme temperature alerts.
- Secretary of Energy Chris Wright issued an Energy Emergency Alert directing PJM Interconnections, serving 65 million customers in the Mid-Atlantic, to conserve energy and prevent blackouts from Tuesday night through Friday night.
- 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 like NYISO, MISO, and ISO-New England also expect near-record demand, with challenges compounded by simultaneous heat waves in Canada limiting electricity imports.
- Experts warn the heat wave coinciding with the July 4th holiday will heavily strain the grid, potentially leading to rolling blackouts and limited maintenance opportunities due to sustained high nighttime temperatures.
