Report: Kansas at elevated risk of blackouts this summer

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) – As temperatures heat up within the months forward, so does the chance of attainable blackouts throughout the nation.

A brand new report Thursday mentioned Kansas is at an elevated danger of blackouts this summer time. You might bear in mind in February of 2021 after we had rolling blackouts to preserve vitality.

If blackouts occur this 12 months, they’ll occur on the most well liked days when vitality demand is highest. These are additionally the times you’ll need to hold your air conditioner on.

Eyewitness Information spoke with an vitality professional who mentioned energy grid operators are making ready for greater demand than ever earlier than. However even then, there’s lots that may occur that’s out of their management.

The North American Reliance Company warns on the most well liked days this summer time, energy grids won’t be capable to meet that demand in some areas.

“I feel it is a fairly commonplace warning, however due to the pandemic and the conflict (Russian invasion of Ukraine) and inflation, there’s in all probability much more danger on the market that’s related to peak demand,” mentioned Pure Assets Protection Council Senior Vitality Economist Ashok Gupta.

Gupta mentioned when peak demand can’t be met, that’s when blackouts occur. The Southwest Energy Pool (SPP) predicts this summer time that demand will likely be greater than ever earlier than at 51.1 gigawatts.

The SPP operates the grid for Kansas and 13 different states. The summer time, it mentioned it’s ready to serve greater than 55 gigawatts, however Gupta mentioned there’s all the time the potential of the sudden. Rolling blackouts in the course of the February 2021 chilly snap is a major instance.

“You need to construct 10 to twenty p.c over n case issues go fallacious, and even then, issues go fallacious,” Gupta mentioned. “So, we pay for all of that redundancy within the system, and one of the best ways to cope with that’s by managing the demand facet of the equation.”

To scale back demand and the possibility of blackouts, conserving vitality on peak days could make a big distinction.

“As you begin including up over a neighborhood, a second of a metropolis, a metropolis, and our total service space, these collective efforts may also help reasonable the demand for vitality,” mentioned Each spokesperson, Gina Penzig.

Penzig mentioned along with maintaining the lights on, conserving vitality may also assist to maintain your invoice down.

Whereas inflation, provide chain points and the battle in Ukraine might affect the grid throughout the nation, there are different components regionally that would affect Kansans. A kind of is drought throughout states within the SPP. Which means much less vitality from hydrogeneration.

The drought in Kansas additionally means we’ll use extra vitality to irrigate crops.

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