US faces growing risk of power outages - Reuters
Electricity (Photo: Getty Images)
The largest US power grid operator, PJM Interconnection, which serves about 67 million people, has declared a state of emergency power conservation, reports Reuters.
Emergency conservation mode introduced in the US
PJM, which provides electricity to a large part of the East Coast and the Midwest of the US, has activated emergency load reduction programs.
The restrictions apply to industrial enterprises and household consumers who have pre-signed contracts and receive compensation for reducing network load during emergencies.
According to the operator, such measures are necessary to increase power reserves and prevent outages during peak demand hours.
What caused it
The company explained the introduction of emergency measures due to a prolonged abnormal heatwave, which led to record electricity consumption due to the widespread use of air conditioners.
The situation was also complicated by the shutdown of some generating capacities and overloaded transmission lines.
Prices soared more than 60-fold
On Thursday evening, the power system experienced a sharp drop in generation, prompting PJM to bring in backup fossil-fuel power plants.
Despite the tense situation, power outages were avoided.
However, the crisis affected electricity costs. Spot prices in the region exceeded $2,500 per megawatt-hour, compared to the usual $40 per MWh.
According to analysts' estimates, such a sharp spike is primarily due to overloaded transmission lines and rising electricity delivery costs.
After a prolonged period of high temperatures, a change in the weather is expected in Ukraine. In the coming days, the heat will begin to recede under the influence of a cold atmospheric front, which will bring thunderstorms and rain to most regions.
At the same time, warmer weather will persist in the south and east of the country, while daytime temperatures in other regions will drop to comfortable summer levels.
