Category: Grid

WSJ Reports Battery Energy Storage Systems Are Moving to Scale. But What Are the Hidden Catches?

Clark Savage8

The Wall Street Journal recently highlighted how battery energy storage systems (BESS) are shifting from niche applications to meaningful scale in the United States, with residential deployments accelerating particularly fast. Companies like Base Power are installing home batteries at a rapid clip, and broader market data confirm strong growth in both utility-scale and behind-the-meter segments. […]

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China Approves Eight New Nuclear Plants, Including Four With Hualong One 2.0 Tech

Clark Savage15

China’s State Council approved the construction of eight new nuclear reactor units on July 31, 2026, during an executive meeting chaired by Premier Li Qiang. The projects, spanning four provinces, represent a total investment exceeding 170 billion yuan (approximately $25 billion) and continue the country’s aggressive expansion of nuclear capacity as a cornerstone of its […]

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Texas Holding Consumers Hostage for $33 B in a High-Voltage Heist

Clark Savage26

Texas ratepayers are on the hook for a $33 billion high-voltage transmission expansion that critics call a classic power grab—funneling guaranteed returns to transmission monopolies, condemning thousands of acres of private land, and primarily enabling more intermittent wind and solar that many of today’s assets won’t economically or physically outlast another decade. The Electric Reliability […]

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Over 100°F Heat Adding Stress to the AI-laden Grid

Clark Savage34

Back-to-back heat waves sweeping the United States are pushing electricity grids to a tipping point, as temperatures topping 100°F (38°C) drive households to max out air conditioners while a surge in around-the-clock demand from AI data centers and factories shrinks power reserves and strains decades-old transmission equipment. This is emerging as the new normal for […]

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Texas ERCOT Grid Holds Beyond 91 Gigawatts in Heat Wave – At what cost?

Clark Savage63

On Wednesday, July 22, 2026, extreme Texas heat drove air-conditioning demand that pushed the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) grid past 91 gigawatts for the first time. Unofficial real-time figures from ERCOT’s website showed a peak around 91,300 megawatts near 5 p.m. CT, with system-wide demand data indicating highs near 91,089 MW. This shattered […]

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U.S. Needs 5,000 Miles of New High-Voltage Lines Annually — It Only Built 392

Clark Savage33

The U.S. electric grid faces a critical bottleneck: explosive growth in electricity demand from AI data centers, manufacturing resurgence, and electrification is outpacing the physical expansion of the high-voltage transmission network that moves power across regions. According to energy economists Leonard Hyman and William Tilles in a new OilPrice.com analysis, the country needs roughly 5,000 […]

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PG and E Cuts Power to ~7,800 Customers in Proactive Public Safety Power Shutoff Amid High Winds and Elevated Wildfire Risk

Clark Savage75

Energy News Beat Channel | July 16, 2026 Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) has implemented a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) affecting approximately 7,800 customers across small portions of 10 counties in Northern and Central California. The action, announced on July 14, 2026, began in the afternoon of July 15 as a precautionary measure […]

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