America at higher blackout risk as EPA aims to shut down more power plants, despite grid assessment

As summer rolls in with warmer temperatures, large portions of the U.S. are at a higher risk of blackouts, a new report warns.

The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), a nonprofit grid watchdog, released its latest summer reliability assessment Wednesday, and it shows what past seasonal and long-term assessments have shown — America’s grid operates on the thin margins of reliability. Anytime inclement weather hits — heat waves or cold snaps — increased demand on the grid puts large parts of the U.S. at risk of blackouts.

From the Midwest, New England, to California and Louisiana, according to the assessment, the risk of blackouts during heat waves this summer is rising. The risk of emergency conditions in Texas, according to the assessment, will hit 18% this summer, and the risk of rolling blackouts is 14.6%.

There are a number of factors, according to NERC, contributing to the lack of adequate electricity supply under periods of high demand. This includes the retirement of coal-fired generators, which removes on-demand electricity resources from the grid. A lot of capacity has been replaced by reliable natural gas-fired power plants, but during cold weather, natural gas gets diverted to heat for homes, which leaves less for generating commercial electricity. Lastly, increased reliance on intermittent wind and solar, which depending on weather conditions, may not be available when demand is high.

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