Extreme Cold Tests U.S. Power Grid Resilience

U.S. power grid operators increased precautions Saturday to avoid rolling blackouts as frigid temperatures impacting half the country strain operations.

PJM Interconnection – the largest regional grid in the U.S.,serving 67 million people in the East and Mid-Atlantic – reported temporary spikes in wholesale electricity spot prices,exceeding $3,000 per megawatt-hour Saturday⁢ morning,compared to less than $200 per ‍MWh previously.

Older power plants, typically idled for much of the year, are being brought back online to capitalize on these high prices and meet demand‍ exceeding forecasts, explains georg rute, CEO of software firm Gridraven and an⁣ expert on the impact of weather on power line capacity.

“A 40-year-old gas turbine is firing up as it ⁣sees these extremely high‍ prices,” Rute ⁣told Reuters, adding that this demonstrates stress‍ in the PJM system and elsewhere.

prices also climbed in other regions ⁣as the storm and temperatures around 0° Fahrenheit (−18° Celsius) drove up electricity⁣ demand and prompted some operators to suspend natural gas production in key basins, while grid managers also faced constraints on gas pipelines.

Dominion Energy, whose Virginia operations‍ host the world’s largest concentration of data centers, stated that if ⁣icing forecasts materialize, it might vrey well be one of the most meaningful winter events to affect the company’s operations.

As regional⁢ grid operators juggle limited fuel supplies, congested transmission lines, and extreme weather, electric companies are mobilizing crews to repair damage expected from ice and snow on low-voltage distribution lines powering homes and businesses.

GRIDS UNDER PRESSURE

Facing gas scarcity,U.S. grid managers…