"Severe Heat Threatens Power Grid Across Majority of US"
The Department of Energy has warned that two thirds of the country, including all of the Western United States, is at risk of losing power this summer due to high heat. Power grids including the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, the U.S. Western Connection and the Midcontinent Independent System Operator were all at "elevated risk" of energy shortfalls if confronted with more extreme summer conditions, according to a recent report from the North American Electric Reliability Corp. ERCOT had adequate power supplies to meet typical summer demand, but in the event of an extreme heat wave with low wind, ERCOT might not have enough coal and gas-fired generation to make up for the loss of wind power.