New England

02Feb

Power Grid Roulette

Another February storm has Texans wondering if they’re in for a repeat of the catastrophic grid failure of a year ago. While this storm isn’t expected to be nearly as severe, there’s an uneasy recognition from regulators and policymakers that given the right circumstances the Texas grid could go over the edge once again. Despite […]
08Dec

The Grid Crisis is International

The grid reliability warnings keep coming. Both here and in Europe, electricity grids – particularly those that have raced away from dispatchable fuel diversity and allowed their reserve margins to erode – are facing ever-mounting warnings that available capacity may not keep up with demand. In the U.K., the national grid operator issued its first […]
10Nov

Coal’s Importance is Clearer than Ever

It’s a good thing for American energy consumers that John Kerry doesn’t set domestic energy policy. While he believes the U.S. won’t be using coal by 2030, coal is proving just how essential it remains to the nation’s energy security as well as the reliability and the affordability of our energy supply Not only are […]
20Oct

Soaring Energy Prices are Threatening to Wreck Recovery

Americans are alarmed over the rising cost of energy. According to new polling from Morning Consult, 85% of Americans are concerned about rising energy prices, with 50% very concerned. This concern cuts across party lines, with 85% of Democrats concerned and 89% of Republicans. This soaring concern comes as the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) warns […]
26May

The Grid Reliability Warnings Keep Coming

Back in the summer of 2019, Jim Robb, the president and CEO of the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), said that when most engineers look at the Texas grid, they conclude that “there’s no way in hell they can keep the lights on. And yet they do.” Robb, speaking to the Federal Energy Regulatory […]
12Aug

Electricity Affordability is Underpinned by Dispatchable Fuel Diversity

With the economy still reeling from the pandemic, U.S. electricity demand is down this summer. And while coal generation continues to play an essential role in meeting demand across the country, especially on scorching summer days, coal generation has borne the brunt of unique near-term market conditions. However, analysts are already predicting a bounce back […]
10Jul

No Way in Hell

The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) analyzes the reliability of our electricity supply. NERC’s reports and statements are consistently measured, typically packing all the flair and excitement of a buttoned-down white dress shirt. So, it’s with good reason that eyebrows were raised when NERC’s CEO, Jim Robb, recently told the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission […]