The North American power grid is facing elevated risks of power outages during the 2023 summer, according to a report by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC). The report identifies nine regional grids from New England to Ontario in Canada that are at risk. This presents a sign of upcoming threats to electrical systems in Canada and the US.
According to the NERC summer assessment, the new at-risk areas mark the regulatory body’s most expansive warning on threats to the power network. Nine regional grids including the US Southeast and Ontario in Canada face power grid blackouts. The North American Electric Reliability Corp issued a warning that summer blackouts due to heat waves threaten the country’s power grid and have extended into the US Southeast and Ontario for the first time.
The elevated risks of power outages are driven by a combination of conventional generation retirements, a substantial increase in forecasted peak demand, and the electrification of more loads than ever before. Much of the risk is driven by reliance on renewable energy sources, which are dependent on favorable weather making it unreliable during peak conditions. The report highlighted that wind conditions that die down during summer heat waves are key factors for grid reliability in Texas and the Southwest Power Pool.
Besides, natural gas and coal delivery infrastructure constraints and “unexpected tripping” of wind and solar resources during grid disturbances all hold various risks. NERC has warned that these risks could lead to wide-ranging blackouts that could last for an indefinite period. It is particularly concerning given that the high heat waves of summer coincide with increased demand.
NERC’s assessment indicates that the country’s electrical grid may not hold up to meet the surging demand when above-normal temperatures coincide with high power-plant outages. Grid networks are expected to hold in normal summers, sufficient to meet demand from June to September. However, with heatwaves becoming more prominent, the US west coast to Georgia, along with parts of New England and Canada, may experience shortages.
To prevent these risks, NERC recommends building more conventional generation, expanding battery storage capacity, and increasing transmission lines. NERC is calling for these measures to ensure that the nine regional grids at risk are less susceptible to power outages and other interruptions during periods of high demand.
In conclusion, NERC’s report on summer blackouts is a warning that should not be taken lightly. The elevated risks of power outages threaten the country’s power grids which could spell disaster for millions of Americans and Canadians. Infrastructure upgrades and weather-hardening mechanisms are recommended to ensure reliability during peak conditions and reduce the elevated risks of power outages.
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