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Electric grid

A Warmer World

Climate change is leading to higher utility bills — and not just because of rising temps

by Samantha Fields
Sep 10, 2024
Regulators approved more than $9.7 billion in utility rate increases nationally last year.
Building solar and wind farms, as well as transmission lines to connect them to the grid, is pricey. Utilities are passing a lot of these expenses on to ratepayers.
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Growth of solar energy and battery capacity yields sunny forecast for the industry

by Samantha Fields
Feb 6, 2023
The federal Energy Information Administration predicts that more than half of the new capacity added to the electric grid this year will be solar.
"Now, there's more incentive and more availability of locations to build new solar projects," an Energy Department spokesman said.
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Hurricane Ian has many thinking about the resilience of the electric grid

by Andy Uhler
Sep 28, 2022
There's no one-size-fits-all way to make the power infrastructure impervious to natural disasters.
One way to strengthen power grids against extreme weather is to put transmission lines underground. But that can be costly and may not help during storms with heavy rain.
Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images
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Hybrid work adds strain to power grids during heat wave

by Matt Levin
Sep 6, 2022
The lights and the AC are on in offices and living rooms, challenging energy systems amid record temperatures.
California's electric grid operator has asked residents to save power by shutting off their air conditioning in the late afternoon and evening during the ongoing heat wave.
Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images
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A Warmer World

Will the electric grid be able to power EVs — and everything else?

by Meghan McCarty Carino
Sep 6, 2022
As California accelerates EV adoption, the heat wave is a reminder that the grid powers air conditioning and other ways to deal with climate change.
If all cars in California were electric, the state would need to produce around 50% more electricity, according to one estimate. Above, a driver charges his vehicle in Monterey Park.
Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images
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Shining a light on our broken power grids, and the risks they pose

by Kai Ryssdal and Sarah Leeson
Aug 30, 2022
"California Burning" tells how the struggle to manage aging infrastructure, climate change and the bottom line can lead to disaster.
The Camp Fire destroys a home in Northern California in 2018. Author Katherine Blunt discusses the disaster's consequences for the region's residents and for the Pacific Gas and Electric utility in her book "California Burning."
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
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How drought zaps electricity production and could raise prices

by Andy Uhler
Aug 18, 2022
Coal, natural gas and nuclear plants need water to make the steam that moves turbines, and as a cooling agent.
When power demand peaks, hydropower can be used to meet that demand in short order. Drought conditions make this difficult. Above, Hoover Dam and Lake Mead, which was at its lowest level since the 1930s in July.
Ethan Miller/Getty Images
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Texas' efforts to fix electrical grid may not be enough to prevent future blackouts

by Andy Uhler
Sep 13, 2021
The state's decision nearly a century ago to go it alone when it comes to electricity still has ramifications today.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
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California blackouts trigger debate about electric grid resilience

by Andy Uhler
Aug 28, 2020
A heat wave and record levels of electricity demand are straining infrastructure.
Investments in grids were already falling, and COVID-19 has slowed down upgrades even further.
Brent Stirton/Getty Images
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Weather Economy

Getting power back to millions in Florida won't be easy

by Kai Ryssdal and Scott Tong
Sep 11, 2017
The country has a 100-year-old grid system and more frequent extreme storms, reporter Scott Tong says. Will the state "build back better"?
A couple walks through the flooded streets of Naples, Florida, today. Hurricane Irma made another landfall near Naples yesterday after inundating the Florida Keys. Electricity was out in much of the region.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images
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