Electric Vehicles Loom Large in U.S. Power Grid Modernization
February 9, 2023
Since its inception, the U.S. electric grid has mostly operated smoothly as one synchronous machine with a one-directional flow of electricity to meet the nation’s predictable power needs. However, as older centralized thermal resources are being replaced with more variable renewables and long-distance delivery systems are showing their age, that synchronicity appears to be declining. U.S. power outages are up 64% this decade compared to the previous decade.
According to a new report from CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange, age, weather and the generating resource mix is undermining U.S. power systems faster than the infrastructure can be replaced, reinforced and possibly re-envisioned.
