The organization responsible for North American electric reliability warned energy shortfalls were possible this summer in California, Texas and the U.S. Midwest where extreme heat from a severe drought could cause power plants to fail. In 2021, numerous extreme weather events stressed the U.S. power grid, including the February freeze in Texas that knocked out power to millions after freezing natural gas pipes, and record heat, drought and wildfires in the West. In its summer outlook, the North American Electric Reliability Corp (NERC) said the ongoing drought continues to cut hydropower generation and cause wildfires in parts of the U.S. West. NERC said the hydropower reduction puts the entire U.S. West “at risk of energy emergencies due to the limited supply of electricity available for transfer” in the event of a wide-area extreme heat event. In Texas, NERC said an increase in mostly wind and […]