These Areas Of The US Are At 'increased' Risk Of Power Outages This Summer

(NEXSTAR) – Power outages could occur across much of the United States this summer, according to the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) annual assessment.

The report, which predicts how prepared the power grids that power air conditioning, medical equipment, lights and other vital resources are, finds about two-thirds of the country is at “elevated risk” of a power outage.

These regions include all of the continental United States from Texas to the West Coast, as well as much of the Midwest and New England.

(Courtesy of NERC)

Despite the extensive areas the nonprofit has pointed out, there is some positive news. Contrary to last year’s report, there are no “high risk” regions where normal peak conditions could deplete operating reserves. In 2022, the NERC map showed that many states under the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), such as Arkansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois and Indiana, are at high risk in whole or in part are.

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“The increased and rapid deployment of wind, solar and battery has had a positive impact,” said Mark Olson, NERC manager of reliability assessments, in a statement. “However, generator shutdowns continue to increase the risks associated with extreme summer temperatures, leading to possible supply disruptions in the western two-thirds of North America as summer temperatures rise.”

This year’s analysis shows that the grids should work in normal summer weather, but extreme weather events such as the deadly “heat dome” in 2021, a period of record-breaking heat sweeping much of the western U.S., could cripple grids in the Pacific Northwest and Sun Belt to Texas, according to energy and environment publication E&E News.

“The system is closer to the edge. More needs to be done,” John Moura, NERC director of reliability assessment and performance analysis, told reporters on Wednesday.

According to E&E, based on past data on Americans’ summer energy use and temperature history, NERC estimates there is a 1 in 10 chance of extreme conditions this summer.