Posted on 03/10/2023 4:42:33 AM PST by george76
PJM Interconnection sounds the latest alarm that fossil-fuel plants are shutting down without adequate replacement power. The political class yawns.
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The warnings keep coming that the force-fed energy transition to renewable fuels is destabilizing the U.S. electric grid, but is anyone in government paying attention?
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The PJM report forecasts power supply and demand through 2030 across the 13 eastern states in its territory covering 65 million people. ... Fossil-fuel power plants are retiring much faster than renewable sources are getting developed, which could lead to energy “imbalances.” That’s a delicate way of saying that you can expect shortages and blackouts.
PJM typically generates a surplus of power owing to its large fossil-fuel fleet, which it exports to neighboring grids in the Midwest and Northeast. When wind power plunged in the Midwest and central states late last week, PJM helped fill the gap between supply and demand and kept the lights on.
That’s why it’s especially worrisome that PJM is predicting a large decline in its power reserves as coal and natural-gas plants retire. The report forecasts that 40,000 megawatts (MW) of power generation—enough to light up 30 million households—are at risk of retiring by 2030, representing about 21% of PJM’s current generation capacity.
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Most projected power-plant retirements are “policy-driven,”
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ESG (environmental, social and governance) commitments are driving coal plants to close
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There’s another problem: Demand for electric power will increase amid the growth in data centers and the government’s push for the electrification of vehicles, heating and everything else
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The left’s green-energy transition is incompatible with a growing economy and improving living standards. Renewables don’t provide reliable power 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and the progressive campaign to shut down coal and gas plants that do will invariably result in outages.
(Excerpt) Read more at wsj.com ...
Shortages give an excuse for rationing. Maybe they can use a Social Credit Score to determine who gets to use electricity.
Having been part of the generation side of PJM for nearly 40 years and still active at a Nuclear Power Plant I can add my small bit of awareness. It is much worse than what you are reading. The ability to maintain plants is becoming much worse given the economy and lack of businesses that can support this type of technology declining.
It has become very adversarial forcing many businesses to just walk away from supporting non favored energy sources.
Social Credit Score to determine who gets to use electricity... food, travel, bank accounts, credit cards, and ..
Closing existing mines, power plants ... that produce electricity - 24 / 7 - also will retire experience workers that will not be easily replaced - if ever.
“PJM Interconnection sounds the latest alarm that fossil-fuel plants are shutting down without adequate replacement power. The political class yawns.”
Why should they care? Getting WW3 started in Ukraine is a FAR-HIGHER priority to them, as McConnell and Democrat Leaders have made quite clear.
So, time to buy generators, everyone!!!
More EVs will help.....
PJM?
What eastern states?
Thanks for your first hand report
Even when they do build “renewables”, a reliable power source is needed for when the sun doesn’t shine or the wind doesn’t blow.
I recently noticed that a coal plant just south of Ashland KY has been restarted. Interestingly, the plant is adjacent to large coal mining operations.
The good news is that when the power goes out and people start dying, people will be looking for politicians to string up.
Wind Turbine blade life ~ 20 Years or less ... then, trucked to a dump .. Wind turbine blades can not be recycled, so they are piling up in landfills ..
Note the bulldozer.
You are spot on., Even now there is a shortage of experienced workers in the field, we are maintaining plants with smaller numbers than i have ever seen in my entire 40 years.
The practice is common now to sub contract retired employees to come back during outages in an effort to have qualified experience! Something I will be doing myself in a few years.
LINK TO FULL DOCUMENTARY: "Grid Down, Power Up"
It is frightening, but we NEED people at all levels in our country to be frightened about this. We need our entire country to be completely united on this issue. Hard Core Rabid Leftists and Right Wing Nuts could even find cause for achieving common ground, but I suspect the rabid Leftists would be all in favor of having things burn to the ground, so that might not be possible.
We need to do this, and are forty years overdue.
Germany Is Dismantling A Wind Farm To Make Way For A Coal Mine.
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/4103715/posts
S’mores are optional.
See post #8
ALL of PA, VA, DE, NJ, MD, WV, OH -
Parts of NC, MI, IL, IN, KY, and a little bit of TN.
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