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The North American Electric Reliability Corp (NERC) has issued a warning about the escalating threat of rolling blackouts as the US grapples with aging power grids, extreme weather events, increasing power demand, and a shift towards cleaner energy sources.
In its recent report, the nation's top grid monitor highlighted the potential inadequacy of electricity supplies in most regions during periods of extreme cold and heat over the next decade.
Insufficient progress in constructing major wind and solar projects, coupled with the retirement of old coal plants, has exacerbated the projected power shortfall.
NERC emphasized the technological advancements and the growing demands that are putting additional strain on the US power grid.
The proliferation of data centers, cryptocurrency mining, sales of electric vehicles, and the rapid growth of these sectors outpacing electricity generation and transmission have contributed to the challenges.
According to NERC's projections, electricity demand is expected to increase 10% until 2032, while generation to grow only 4% during the same period.
The report indicates that over 83 GW of fossil fuel and nuclear generation are anticipated to be decommissioned from 2023 to 2028, with an additional 30 GW potentially closing down.
Insufficient deployment of renewables, energy storage, electric vehicles, and customer-owned solar power has made power networks more complex, necessitating faster and more sophisticated control systems.
Central and southern parts of the United States are particularly at risk of power shortages in the coming decade, even under normal weather conditions.
NERC projected the Midwest grid region to face a 4.7-GW power shortage by 2028 despite a newly planned 12-GW capacity, and the southeastern grid region to face a critical period between 2025 and 2027 due to coal-fired power plant retirements.
Grid operators in some other regions also face elevated risks.
NERC advocates for flexibility in retirements of gas-fired power plants, while environmentalists emphasize the urgency of phasing out coal and transitioning to renewables.
Some environmentalists said that the urgency of climate change necessitates a rapid transition away from fossil fuel and increased reliance on renewable energy, energy efficiency, and battery storage to reduce emissions from the electricity system.
The report emphasizes the need for increased coordination and collaboration among relevant departments to address these challenges.
(Writing by Riley Liang Editing by Harry Huo)
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