Grid bending, not breaking, during energy transition
Concerns show need for greater mix of power, energy storage assets
BY MICHAEL STANDAERT,
North Dakota News Cooperative
Despite continuous warnings of rolling blackouts this summer, the grids serving North Dakota and the Upper Midwest held up. Pockets of record-breaking heat were manageable since they did not cover large swaths of the country all at once. No significant doldrums
deadened wind power during heat waves. Yet concerns persist. A major winter storm or deep cold snap creating surges in electricity demand at the same time solar and wind power assets under perform keeps energy experts, regulators and grid operators up at night. Either significant rolling blackouts, or the unlikely event of a total grid failure, could be deadly in sub zero temperatures.
