"North America Braces for Summer Blackouts Due to Extreme Heat"
Two-thirds of North America could face energy shortfalls this summer during periods of extreme demand due to the heatwave leaving tens of millions of Americans in sweltering temperatures. The North American Energy Reliability Corporation warned that virtually the entire United States west of the Mississippi River could suffer energy shortages during "extreme conditions." The risk of blackouts comes into play only if there is extreme heat. As coal power plants retire, parts of the power grid are increasingly reliant on cleaner sources, namely wind and solar, to meet high demand. However, conditions don't always allow these renewable sources of power to generate as much electricity as needed.