Hundreds of millions of Americans are at risk of running out of power this winter if weather conditions are severe, according to a new report released by the North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC), an electricity grid watchdog.
NERC report says nearly all residents of the Northeast, Texas, and Midwest could face energy shortages if winters are colder than average. state. The lack of grid reliability is primarily caused by increasing electricity demand and the replacement of coal-fired and older natural gas-fired generators with energy-limited resources such as solar power. (Related: “Overconsumption of animal protein”: Attendees at the UN climate change conference call on countries to introduce meat taxes)
“Predictable frigid temperatures could potentially push existing natural gas distribution infrastructure to maximum capacity,” the report warned. “As coal-fired generators and older natural gas-fired generators are retired and replaced with variable, energy-limited resources, meeting winter loads becomes more difficult and complex.”
NERC’s 2024-2025 WRA finds that much of North America is at increased risk of infection. #Energy Scarcity in extreme conditions. No areas have been identified as being at high risk and all areas would normally be expected to have sufficient resources. #winter Peak load condition. https://t.co/TOPhkCZumt pic.twitter.com/kANLz4dasl
— NERC (@NERC_Official) November 14, 2024
According to a NERC study, the expansion of power-hungry data centers is leading to a surge in power demand, and consulting firm Bain says utilities will have to increase annual power generation by up to 26% by 2028. I predict that it is possible. The Harris administration aims to reduce natural gas and coal-fired power generation, using carbon capture and storage to reduce carbon emissions by 2032 if existing coal-fired power plants want to continue operating beyond 2039. It finalized rules in April mandating that 90% of the population be controlled. And certain new natural gas plants will reduce emissions by 90% by 2032. According to Submit to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Grid operators are asking the EPA to repeal the power plant rule to protect long-term energy dependence, and four major regional utilities are facing red-state legal challenges to the rule. It filed a court brief in support of its claims, saying the rule would jeopardize the power grid’s ability to generate electricity. Ensure that America’s energy needs are met.
The head of the power grid regulator, Mark Christie, sent a letter to lawmakers in August arguing that the EPA’s rules could be “catastrophic.”
“If the EPA’s new power plant rule survives court challenges, it would force the retirement of nearly all remaining coal power plants and prevent the construction of much-needed new combined-cycle baseload gas generation. Christie wrote. “This loss of much-needed dispatchable power generation resources would be devastating.”
EPA and Federal Electric Reliability Corporation did not respond to requests for comment.
All content produced by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent, nonpartisan news distribution service, is available free of charge to legitimate news publishers with large audiences. All republished articles must include our logo, reporter byline, and DCNF affiliation. If you have any questions about our guidelines or our partnership, please contact us at licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.
