America’s Electricity Boom Is Outrunning Its Power Grid

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The United States’ energy grid is under extreme duress as rapid electrification and energy demand place increasing and unprecedented demand on transmission infrastructure. The artificial intelligence boom is sending energy demand rates into the stratosphere as hyperscalers race to develop energy-hungry data center campuses across the country. At the same time, clean energy campaigns and the renewable energy transition are increasingly electrifying our lives, from electric vehicles to heating and cooling systems.

An official assessment published in January by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) found that 60 percent of grid regions in the United States  (nine out of 15) are at ‘elevated’ or ‘high’ risk of falling short of energy demand as soon as 2030. High risk indicates that demand will soon outstrip supply in that region in a business-as-usual scenario. Elevated risk means that while resources are adequate, there could be critical shortfalls during extreme weather events. Some of the country’s most populous areas, including New York and Pennsylvania, are served by these at-risk grids. 

This poses a major and urgent problem for the nation’s energy security. “In the short term, that imbalance can mean sending more power down transmission lines than they are rated to carry, risking equipment failure,” states a recent report from Atmos. “Over time, it can cause power outages, especially during periods of peak demand.”

Source: Wikipedia