“As we move forward, we need to know that when you put a solar panel or a wind turbine up, it’s not the same as a thermal resource.”
John Bear
MISO Chief Executive
According to the Wall Street Journal (May 8, 2022), many states are facing the possibility of “rolling blackouts during heat waves,” “emergency measures,” and “electricity outages.”
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According to MISO, 11 midwestern states face the possibility of temporary blackouts this summer when electricity demand peaks. California and Texas are also sounding the alarm
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Part of the reason for this problem is that coal plants are being shut down and replaced with sources of electricity that are less dependable than coal when electricity demand peaks, for example, during extremely hot weather. When electricity demand peaks, a coal-fired power plant is almost six times more dependable than a wind farm.
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The possibility of blackouts will get worse unless steps are taken to keep coal plants from retiring. Changes to market rules are needed to keep coal-fired plants from retiring.