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US power grid faces rising risk of energy shortfalls by 2030
A January assessment by NERC found 9 of 15 US grid regions are at elevated or high risk of falling short of demand as soon as 2030.
The US energy grid is under growing strain as rapid electrification, rising overall demand, and data center buildouts tied to the artificial intelligence boom increase pressure on transmission infrastructure, OilPrice reports.
According to an official January assessment by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, 60 percent of US grid regions, or nine out of 15, were rated at elevated or high risk of not meeting energy demand as soon as 2030 under a business as usual scenario.
OilPrice notes that high risk indicates demand will soon outstrip supply in the region, while elevated risk means resources may be adequate but critical shortfalls could occur during extreme weather events.
The article also highlights the risk of sending power over transmission lines above their rated capacity in the short term, which can raise the chance of equipment failure, and can contribute to power outages during peak demand periods, Atmos warned in a recent report cited by OilPrice.