That's a fundamental change in how we think about our power, says Peter Larsen, department head at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Our reserves have gone up relative to last summer.īENSHOFF: But heat and drought, both of which are exacerbated by climate change, still pose risks to the reliable flow of energy in the Lone Star State, according to the grid reliability assessment. Despite this rocky start, Brad Jones, interim CEO of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, or ERCOT, tried to put residents at ease that they'll have power this summer.īRAD JONES: Bottom line for each of you is that we feel very confident about the summer. When six power plants unexpectedly went down last week, the grid company called on residents to turn their AC up to 78 degrees to conserve energy. And in Texas, heat is already baking residents and pushing up energy demand.

That's an issue because hydro is a major source of renewable energy in the region. Drought has reduced the amount of hydropower available. But we don't like to try and take those chances.īENSHOFF: In the West, things look better but not great. TODD HILLMAN: So if the car runs perfectly, you might be able to make it to the next exit. Todd Hillman, a VP with the Midwest grid operator, compares it to driving with just a little gas in your tank. The report warns the region will operate with very little reserves, especially if temperatures are more extreme or there's a storm that causes outages. What is summer peak demand? Picture everyone running their AC full blast all at once. The grid operator there may not have enough energy to meet normal summer peak demand, according to the organization's assessment.

Let's start in the Midwest, where the picture looks the worst, especially in Illinois, Indiana, Missouri and Michigan. JOHN MOURA: It's a pretty sobering report, and it's clear the risks are spreading.īENSHOFF: That's John Moura with the North American Reliability Corporation, who says, compared to years past, things do not look good. LAURA BENSHOFF, BYLINE: Most of the country west of Ohio could see blackouts this summer. A new grid reliability report shows that places in the Midwest, California and Texas may not have enough power as temperatures rise and residents crank up air conditioners. Some troubling news as we inch towards summer - parts of the U.S.

Us electric grid map