Blackout Risk Is Rising for North American Grids, Study Says (1)

The risk of blackouts will increase for most of North America over the coming decade due to surging electricity demand and the closing of fossil-fuel power plants, according to a report by a grid reliability regulator.

Solar and battery projects aren’t connecting to the grid fast enough to replace retiring coal and natural gas generators, according to an annual assessment released by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation. In addition, the new power resources are more variable and weather-dependent than the ones they are replacing, the report said.

The report underscores the challenges utilities and grid operators face as ...