A heat wave gripping the US this week is putting pressure on an already-strained energy grid.
As Americans crank up their air conditioners, the country’s largest grid operator forecast that electricity demand could break records, raising the risk of blackouts. The situation is a “five-alarm fire,” said the head of an energy-focused nonprofit, given that the sector is also grappling with depleted reservoirs, wildfires, and a spike in energy demand stemming from the AI boom.
The US energy department this week ordered data centers to use backup generators to ease strain on the system. Europe’s grid, too, felt the pain of heat waves last week, while the high temperatures also forced several power plants to reduce output.