States across the West are at risk of electricity shortages this summer as a crippling drought reduces the amount of water needed to generate hydroelectric power
States across the West are at risk of electricity shortages this summer as a crippling drought reduces the amount of water available to generate hydroelectric power.
Meanwhile, streamflow forecasts for Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona are among the five driest on record, according to an update this month by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The West is gripped in one of the most severe droughts on record, with California among many places getting less than half of average precipitation. Mostly dry years over the past decade—fueled in part by climate change—have left so little moisture in the ground that it is sopping up much of the runoff normally destined for reservoirs, hydrologists say.Noah Berger/Associated Press
The North American Electric Reliability Corp., a nonprofit overseen by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, warned in a report last month that across the West, grid stability is a “significant concern for the summer,” with supply and demand projections at levels similar to 2020. In Northern California, Lake Oroville water levels are so low that by late summer a key hydroelectric plant may not be able to generate power.“We’re having to watch that very, very carefully here, between now and August, to see if the reservoir levels drop enough that we see a significant decrease in generation,” Mr. Mainzer said.
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