Heatwave Impacts On Power Grid: Falling Hydropower Output, Transmission Losses, More Emissions [View all]

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From the Pacific Northwest to coastal New England, millions of Americans have endured sweltering temperatures in recent weeks, driving record energy consumption and offering a snapshot of emerging risks facing the nation’s power system. While grid operators say the electricity system has largely held up so far this summer, Texas — where the grid remains under close watch after blackouts last year — saw record-breaking power demand during the latest heat wave and issued two conservation alerts to energy consumers in July. In some parts of the country, heat has also been linked to drought, creating challenges for hydropower and thermal plants that rely on water for temperature control.

“Many forms of thermoelectric generation, like coal and nuclear, that utilize water for cooling, can be heavily impacted by drought and hot water temperatures. The efficiencies of the plant also decrease if they’re not sufficiently cooled,” Kyri Baker, an assistant professor of engineering at the University of Colorado, Boulder, said in an email.

Like other extreme weather events, prolonged heat waves have become more common worldwide due to climate change. But analysts note that these events themselves can worsen greenhouse gas emissions, as power plants run more frequently to meet energy demand for air conditioning.

Extreme weather also has potential political ramifications for the transition to renewable energy. As aging fossil fuel plants retire, there needs to be enough new generation to replace them in order to keep the lights on in a warming world, said Paul Patterson, a utility analyst at Glenrock Associates LLC. At the same time, extreme weather puts a spotlight on the existing energy system and its vulnerabilities, Patterson added. For example, many gas power plants lack on-site fuel storage. Heat can also strain energy infrastructure, creating the risk of malfunctions or pieces that melt or become inoperable. “If there’s more pressure put on the system, any weakness is more likely to become more apparent,” he said.

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https://www.eenews.net/articles/3-issues-to-watch-as-heat-strains-the-grid/