Grid and Bear It

Is the U.S. electrical grid pushing its limits?

Can't stand the heat? The electrical grid feels your pain. Between heatwaves, data center demands, and the tricky juggling act of multiple power sources, the U.S. grid is under a lot of strain.

Last week, the Energy Department issued its latest emergency order to address a heatwave across the Southeast, putting grid capabilities at risk of blackouts, allowing maximum utilization of certain areas’ electric generating units. "We had to issue an emergency order a few days ago just to let utilities in the Southeast run their plants at full capacity so they could keep the lights on," said Department of Energy Secretary Chris Wright in a Fox Business interview June 24. The order was only in place for one day, but that was more than enough for persistent concerns about the grid to resurface.

U.S. grid operators were forced to take non-routine measures to avoid blackouts, ultimately staying within the generation margins as temperatures in various parts of the country soared past 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The eastern half of the country was especially affected, experiencing a crescendo of high temps that hit the Midwest at just 5-10 degrees lower in preceding days.

Jammed and overheated transmission lines caused congestion and lifted wholesale electricity prices in New York to nearly $2,400 per megawatt hour (MWh) during peak evening demand, according to Reuters. Wholesale prices in Long Island topped $7,000 per MWh. New York ISO, the state's grid operator, warned it may initiate emergency actions after operating reserves declined.

PJM Interconnection, which covers one in five Americans as the largest U.S. power grid operator, ordered several utilities in its territory to curtail electricity to customers in voluntary reduction programs.