Arctic cold and snow squalls threaten U.S. power grids, managers warn

Managers of electric grids warned that arctic cold and snow squalls threatening much of the United States could lead to power outages in many places, potentially leaving millions in the dark. Grid managers instructed the country’s largest electricity providers to postpone routine maintenance on power plants and lines so those resources would be available during and after the storm.

Heavy snow and freezing rain can weigh down tree branches and power lines, causing equipment failures, while frigid cold drives up electricity demand as heating appliances run longer. “When you get one day of cold weather, it’s not as significant. But we’re talking about three or four days here of very low temperatures,” said Douglas Giuffre of S&P Global Energy.

Utilities said they had activated line crews and industry efforts include equipment upgrades and tree trimming; Exelon said it is investing $38 billion to modernize and harden its systems. The federal government ordered unused backup generators at data centers and “other major facilities” to be made available to grids, the energy secretary said.

The warning comes about five years after a massive winter storm caused extensive blackouts in Texas; a University of Texas at Austin report found the state’s grid was ill prepared and that many natural gas plants and pipelines froze or malfunctioned. The state has estimated that more than 200 people died in that storm.

Key Topics

Business, Electric Grids, Exelon, Natural Gas, Permian Basin, Texas