USA, Washington, D.C.: A newly released report from the US Department of Energy has sparked serious concern, warning that Americans could experience over 800 hours of power outages per year by the end of the decade. That is nearly a full month without electricity, driven by rising energy demand and the rapid decommissioning of reliable power sources.
The surge in electricity consumption is largely attributed to the growing number of data centres and artificial intelligence systems, which already use around 4 % of the nation’s energy, a figure expected to more than double by 2030. Simultaneously, the closure of coal, gas, and nuclear plants is outpacing the development of replacement capacity.
“Our infrastructure is simply not being built fast enough to match this demand,” said John Moura of the North American Electric Reliability Corporation.
The Department of Energy urges immediate intervention, warning that without new always-available capacity, the US grid could see a 100-fold increase in blackout duration within five years. Even if no further plants are retired, certain regions remain at risk of a 34-fold increase.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright has called for an “energy addition” strategy – boosting investment in secure and affordable generation, including controversial options like gas and nuclear.
Critics argue the report underestimates renewable potential, with some pointing to Texas as an example of solar and wind success when coupled with battery storage.
However, only 22 GW of the 209 GW of new power projected by 2030 are expected from firm sources. This falls short of the 104 GW of dependable capacity set to retire.
The report follows a series of incidents, such as the 2021 Texas freeze and New York’s 2019 blackout, highlighting the vulnerability of the grid. With demand growing rapidly, experts say proactive measures are essential to prevent widespread power disruptions.
Source: Men’s Journal
