Category: Electrical Generation / Utilities

What if 9 Substations were Targeted on the US Grid? Would Jon Wellinghoff’s Prediction of an 18-Month US Grid Blackout Happen?

Clark Savage142

The U.S. power grid faces a long-standing vulnerability that has resurfaced in recent discussions: a coordinated attack on a small number of critical substations could trigger a cascading nationwide blackout lasting months—or longer. This warning, originally highlighted by former Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Chairman Jon Wellinghoff, stems from analysis following the 2013 Metcalf substation […]

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Texas ERCOT looks to complete Texas data center audit by December

Clark Savage200

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) aims to finish Governor Greg Abbott’s comprehensive verification and audit of data center and large-load projects by December 2026. The review, ordered on August 3, pauses advancement of new data center interconnections until projects demonstrate compliance with state law, Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) rules, and ERCOT […]

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West Texas Oil Producers Pushing Power Demand ‘To the Moon’

Clark Savage111

Oil and gas producers in the Permian Basin are driving electricity demand skyward in West Texas, even as technology companies race to site data centers in the world’s most prolific shale play. The dual surge—from electrifying drilling, fracturing, and production operations, plus hyperscale computing loads—is straining the regional grid and prompting warnings of potential reliability […]

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Is Load Balancing from EVs or Home Storage Power Units Safe and Affordable?

Clark Savage64

As electricity demand surges from electrification, data centers, and extreme weather, utilities and regulators are turning to customer-owned resources—electric vehicles (EVs) and home battery storage—to balance the grid. This involves “load balancing” or demand flexibility: shifting or reducing consumption (or discharging stored energy) during peak times, often through virtual power plants (VPPs) or demand response […]

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Electricity policy is economic policy: The race for reliable power

Clark Savage66

ENB Pub Note: This article is from America Outloud and Ronald Stein, Olivia Vaughan, and Steve Curtis. We highly recommend following them! Electricity policy, at its core, is economic policy. Nations that can produce abundant, reliable, and affordable electricity create the conditions for industrial growth, technological leadership, higher wages, and rising living standards. Those that […]

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California’s green dreams are turning into a dark nightmare for residents.- And how Does Texas Compare?

Clark Savage125

California’s aggressive pursuit of Net Zero and 100% clean electricity has produced record solar milestones, massive battery buildouts, and political talking points about climate leadership. It has also delivered some of the nation’s highest electricity prices, chronic reliability problems, heavy reliance on out-of-state imports, and a grid vulnerable to regional shortfalls and global energy shocks. […]

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