US's Largest Power Grid Under Pressure Amid Heat-Wave
The operator of the largest power grid in the United States, PJM Interconnection, has issued alerts for hot weather and maximum generation for the Midwest and East areas it serves. This comes as a heat wave engulfs large parts of the Midwest and some areas of the South.
PJM Interconnection Issues Alerts
PJM Interconnection, responsible for coordinating the movement of wholesale electricity and ensuring power supplies for 65 million people across 13 eastern and Midwest U.S. states and D.C., has issued a Maximum Generation Alert and Load Management Alert for August 27. The alert was released in anticipation of hot weather across many parts of the Eastern Interconnection, including the region PJM serves.
The grid operator issued the alert as a precautionary measure after committing all PJM resources. It warned that exports of electricity outside of the PJM footprint might need to be curtailed to maintain reserve requirements. However, the alert clarified that no customer actions are required.
Impact on Transmission and Generation Owners
The alert is primarily aimed at transmission and generation owners. They will decide if any maintenance or testing on any equipment can be postponed or canceled to ensure the availability of all resources.
Cities like Chicago, New York City, and Philadelphia are expected to experience temperatures in the mid to high-90s Fahrenheit on Tuesday and Wednesday. Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport is forecasted to reach 97 F today, a record-high for August 27, according to weather forecasters cited by Bloomberg.
With the heat wave causing a spike in demand for air conditioning, PJM’s grid could face a resilience test.
Texas Also Faces Record Electricity Usage
In Texas, the state recorded a record amount of electricity usage on August 20, as reported by the Electric Reliability Council. However, the data is still unofficial pending the calculation of meter readings.
Earlier this year, ERCOT predicted that electricity demand in Texas could double in six years, necessitating the urgent addition of more generation capacity. The silver lining in this situation is that this year ERCOT seems to have been much better prepared to handle occasional surges in electricity demand.
Bottom Line
The heat wave is putting significant pressure on the power grids, especially the largest one in the United States. As temperatures rise and the demand for air conditioning increases, the resilience of these power grids will be put to the test. It's a situation that highlights the importance of preparedness and the ability to handle surges in electricity demand. What are your thoughts on this issue? Feel free to share this article with your friends and discuss it. Don't forget to sign up for the Daily Briefing, which is available every day at 6 pm.
