Are we just going to accept rolling blackouts as our new normal?
MINOT, N.D. — It’s summertime, and that means the scorching weather is coming.
Yet our electrical grids may not be prepared for what’s coming.
North Dakota is served by two power grids. One is the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, and the other is the Southwest Power Pool, and both have been flagged as being at risk for blackouts when summer energy demand spikes.
The ratings come from the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, and they see MISO at “high risk” for blackouts while the SPP is at “elevated risk.”
The plans our power suppliers have for dealing with this situation might make you angry. It boils down to asking power customers such as hospitals to go off the grid and rely on their backup generators.
