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New England's electric grid operator says it's ready for summer, but severe heat could prompt calls for conservation

Annie Ropeik
/
NHPR

New England’s grid operator, ISO New England, says the electricity system should hold up this summer under typical weather conditions.

But if we see more extreme heat, like an extended heat wave, they may need to ask residents and businesses to voluntarily conserve energy. They could also import power from neighboring regions or draw on power reserves.

In a severe event, the grid operator could call for controlled power outages. As climate change makes weather more unpredictable, system operators may need to resort to those kinds of actions more often, they said.

Summer is the season of peak demand for electricity in New England, as homes across the state fire up air conditioners. And this summer is expected to be warmer than normal, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

ISO New England’s summer forecasts include increased amounts of solar power, like rooftop panels on homes, which help to balance the grid. Those panels produce the most power in the early afternoon and have pushed the peak hour of demand into the early evening, when the sun is lower in the sky.

Energy efficiency measures, like updated appliances and lighting, are also helping to reduce demand.

Under typical conditions, New England’s electricity demand is projected to reach 24,605 megawatts, rising to 26,421 megawatts under above average summer weather. The region’s grid operator says they expect more than 30,000 megawatts of capacity to be available for the region’s electricity customers.

Last summer, demand peaked on Aug. 4, 2022, at 24,780 megawatts.

My mission is to bring listeners directly to the people and places experiencing and responding to climate change in New Hampshire. I aim to use sounds, scenes, and clear, simple explanations of complex science and history to tell stories about how Granite Staters are managing ecological and social transitions that come with climate change. I also report on how people in positions of power are responding to our warmer, wetter state, and explain the forces limiting and driving mitigation and adaptation.

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT is an initiative from Connecticut Public, the state’s local NPR and PBS station, to elevate Latino stories and expand programming that uplifts and informs our Latino communities. Visit CTPublic.org/latino for more stories and resources. For updates, sign up for the SOMOS CONNECTICUT newsletter at ctpublic.org/newsletters.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.

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