As a heatwave hits the U.S. this week—just in time for Memorial Day Weekend at the beach, lake, or pool—there are fears that the high demands for air conditioning could stress the electric grid in Texas and elsewhere. According to the article:
“US grids are already experiencing stress and it’s not even summer — the period when electricity demand soars and consumption tends to touch annual highs. The early arrival of hotter temperatures is taxing power-generating assets when many power plants are offline for repairs and upgrades ahead of the peak summer season. Swaths of the US — from Texas and the Southeast to the Midwest and New England — face supply crunches in the sustained searing heat, according to the North American Electric Reliability Corp.”
High heat threatens more than just the grid. It is also contributing to one of the worst hurricane forecasts ever. On May 23, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said high temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean could result in a more active hurricane season, possibly topping 202 whether there were 30 named tropical storms, 14 of which reached hurricane strength.
Published 5/22/2024. Read the full article.
