Largest US Grid Declares Emergency Alert For July 27
On July 27, the largest US grid, PJM, issued an Energy Emergency Alert level one due to concerns about maintaining sufficient power reserves. With the scorching heat leading consumers and businesses to increase their air conditioning usage, the US grid is under pressure to meet the demand for electricity. To stabilize the power supply, PJM has taken measures to ensure all power plants are online, and consumers enrolled in demand-response programs must be prepared to reduce their electricity usage when required, as stated in a notice issued late Wednesday. Heat advisories or excessive heat warnings The extreme heat is affecting a significant portion of the country, with approximately 170 million people under heat advisories or excessive heat warnings, according to Bob Oravec, a senior branch forecaster at the US Weather Prediction Center. PJM serves a vast population of over 65 million people, spanning from Washington, DC to Illinois. Earlier in the week, PJM warned o...