Electric grid woes foretell risk of blackouts

Your guide to the political forces shaping the energy transformation

Apr 03, 2024 View in browser   By Arianna Skibell Electric power lines are seen at sunset near Los Angeles International Airport. | Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images The nation’s electric grid is in trouble. Artificial intelligence, cryptomining, electric vehicles, and home heating and cooling needs are driving up the demand for energy at an alarming pace, writes Peter Behr. At the same time, poor planning means coal- and natural-gas-fired power plants are retiring faster than new solar and wind power can replace them. Officials in charge of running the grid say they worry the result will be widespread blackouts, especially during extreme weather events worsened by climate change. “What keeps me up at night is the winter of 2032,” said Richard Dewey, CEO of New York’s grid operator, at a conference sponsored by the Electric Power Supply Association. “It feels like that’s a long way away, but that’s like tomorrow.” The shift to clean power President Joe Biden set a goal to zero out carbon emissions in the power sector by 2035, and he’s thrown billions of dollars behind that shift to clean energy technology. But in most cases, energy markets and distribution utilities haven’t been willing to pay a premium to accelerate the arrival of supplies of clean power, speakers at the conference said. Moving from a fossil-fueled grid to one powered by wind, solar, battery storage and other advanced energy technologies will also require more high-voltage transmission systems. Multiple analyses found that the amount of interregional transmission capacity would have to double or triple by 2035 to meet Biden’s goal. Those projects take years to build, require advanced planning and often face public pushback. Congressional efforts to streamline such projects have stalled amid partisan gridlock. “We are not on target to achieve a non-carbon grid in 11 years,” said Jason Grumet, CEO of the American Clean Power Association. “It’s just the truth. Recognizing that we are not on track is the first step.”   It's Wednesday — thank you for tuning in to POLITICO's Power Switch. I'm your host, Arianna Skibell. Power Switch is brought to you by the journalists behind E&E News and POLITICO Energy. Send your tips, comments, questions to askibell@eenews.net.   Access New York bill updates and Congressional activity in areas that matter to you, and use our exclusive insights to see what’s on the Albany agenda. Learn more.     Listen to today’s POLITICO Energy podcast Today in POLITICO Energy’s podcast: Zack Colman breaks down how Biden officials are responding to the news that the Export-Import Bank of the United States is considering pouring billions of dollars into two massive foreign gas projects. Power Centers An aerial view of the Thompson Divide in Colorado. | EcoFlight No more drilling The Biden administration has finalized a 20-year ban on new oil and gas drilling and mining activity on large swaths of federal lands within western Colorado’s pristine Thompson Divide, writes Scott Streater. The 221,898-acre mineral withdrawal involves mostly Forest Service land covering parts of four national forests and about 15,000 acres managed by the Bureau of Land Management. Say goodbye to insurance discount, Florida A stunning federal decision is leaving residents of a Florida county that was devastated by one of the nation’s most destructive hurricanes without an insurance discount that has saved them hundreds of millions of dollars, writes Thomas Frank. The decision shocked officials in flood-prone Lee County and serves as a warning to communities nationwide to ensure that homes being rebuilt after floods are protected from future disasters. UK hints at tax for frequent fliers The U.K. government said it would consider taxing airline passengers if the aviation sector does not cut its greenhouse gas emissions, writes Nicholas Earl. The comments come just five months after officials played down the idea.   SUBSCRIBE TO GLOBAL PLAYBOOK: Don’t miss out on POLITICO’s Global Playbook, the newsletter taking you inside pivotal discussions at the most influential gatherings in the world, including WEF in Davos, Milken Global in Beverly Hills, to UNGA in NYC and many more. Suzanne Lynch delivers the world's elite and influential moments directly to you. Stay in the global loop. SUBSCRIBE NOW.     In Other News ‘Headaches, organ damage and even death’: How salty water driven by sea-level rise and extreme weather is putting Bangladesh’s pregnant women at risk. ‘It never warms up’: Surviving extreme cold in Texas prisons. Subscriber Zone A showcase of some of our best subscriber content. Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to announce a major climate lending program Thursday. | Matt Kelley/AP Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to announce $20 billion in climate finance grants from EPA on Thursday in North Carolina. An independent federal agency is eyeing billions of dollars of financing for a pair of foreign natural gas projects — just months after Biden put the brakes on approvals for new domestic liquefied natural gas exports. As their impeachment inquiry of Biden fizzles, House Republicans are setting their sights on a wide range of new oversight targets, including LNG exports and the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. That's it for today, folks! Thanks for reading.   Follow us on Twitter Arianna Skibell @ariannaskibell   Follow us

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