Category Archives: Electric Grid

The Daily Energy Insider carries an article on the North American Electric Reliability Corporation’s (NERC) fifth grid security exercise known as GridEx on Nov. 13 and 14, an event that allows utilities to test how they would respond to and recover from simulated coordinated cyber and physical threats to the electric grid.

The article mentions my recent op-ed on the threats to the U.S. power grid.

GridEx is a very important exercise for utilities, and goes a long way toward providing protection to the grid.

Thanks to the Casper Star Tribune (WY), Johnstown Tribune Democrat (PA), and Rockland County Times (NY), for carrying my op-ed stressing that the U.S. needs a balanced mix of fuel sources to safeguard the power grid against cyber attacks and other threats.

Thanks to the Towanda Daily Review (PA) and Detroit News (MI) for carrying my op-ed on the need for the  U.S. to retain diversified power generation to guard against cyber intrusions and secure grid reliability.

Thanks to the Memphis Commercial Appeal (TN) for carrying my new op-ed where I discuss that the United States is slowly dismantling  its baseload power plants and replacing them with less reliable alternatives, causing electricity price spikes and creating outage issues.

Thanks to the Harrisburg Patriot News (PA), the Somerset Daily American (PA) and the Gillette News Record (WY) for carrying my op-ed on the recent troubles with the electric grid in Texas.

Thanks to the Northwest Indiana Times (IN) for carrying my op-ed on what Texas is learning from the consequences of switching from baseload to intermittent energy sources, which is driving up electricity prices and drastically affecting reliability.

Thanks to the Farmington Daily Times (NM) and Weber Sentinel News (UT) for carrying my op-ed about what Texas is learning from the consequences of switching from baseload to intermittent energy sources, which is driving up electricity prices and drastically affecting reliability.

Thanks to the Pennsylvania newspapers Mainline Media News, Pottstown Mercury, and Exton Daily Local for publishing my new op-ed in which I describe that Texas’ growing reliance on wind power is increasing the risk of blackouts, even as traditional sources of energy such as coal and nuclear are prematurely retired.

News that we missed this morning…

• Utility Dive reports that coal and nuclear could receive a boost in New England this Winter as a new Tariff goes into effect. The region’s grid operator, ISO-New England, received approval from FERC to implement  the Tariff, which will compensate power plants such as nuclear, coal-fired and oil-fired generation, that have on-site fuel storage. ISO-New England told FERC that the Tariff was needed to provide resiliency to the electric grid.

Thanks to the Duluth News Tribune (MN) for carrying my new op-ed on the reliability challenges to the electric grid posed by the increased use of natural gas and renewables, and the need to maintain coal and nuclear energy to maintain that reliability.

Thanks to Johnstown, PA’s The Tribune-Democrat for carrying my new op-ed discussing how states are straining their power grids to the limit by closing down coal-fired power plants, especially during peak usage periods like the summer.

Thanks to the The Southern Illinoisan for publishing my new op-ed on the challenges of delivering reliable power during times of peak usage in the Summer. These challenges are the result of the retirement of base load coal and nuclear plants coupled with the increasing reliance on intermittent wind and solar energy.

Thanks to the Freeport Journal Standard (IL) for carrying my op-ed in which I show that past history reveals the limitations of natural gas and renewables, especially in times of extreme weather events,  and that an “all of the above strategy” when it comes to generating electricity is the preferable energy policy.

Thanks to the  Rockford Register Star (IL) for carrying my op-ed where I opine that states’ clean energy goals, such as ones proposed in Illinois, do not account for the high costs of a renewables-only policy nor the intermittency issues of renewable energy.

Thanks to the Providence Journal (RI), which carries my op-ed in which I write that Rhode Island faces a lack of energy reliability and high costs due to an over-reliance on natural gas.

Thanks to the Rockland County Times (NY) for publishing my op-ed in which I argue that since the United States has massive energy demands, it makes sense to keep all options on the table. Alongside natural gas, wind, and solar, the U.S. must retain the sturdiest forms of electricity generation—coal and nuclear.

Thanks to Morning Consult for publishing my new piece on the risks of relying too heavily on renewable energy, and why America’s energy markets should follow a smart middle path, one that fully values reliability and resilience.

We still need baseload generation like coal and nuclear when the wind doesn’t blow and the sun doesn’t shine. Moving to an energy future with more renewables is fine, but we can’t lose sight of the real goal–reliable and affordable energy.