Ways to Survive a Summer Blackout on a Budget

According to the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), several U.S. regions face elevated risks of rolling blackouts during the summer of 2025. This is primarily due to increased electricity demand, extreme weather conditions, and the retirement of traditional power plants.The Washington Post

🔥 Regions at Elevated Risk for Summer 2025 Blackouts

1. Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) – Midwest

MISO, covering parts of the Midwest including Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Illinois, is at a high risk of blackouts even under normal peak conditions. This is attributed to the retirement of 1,575 MW of natural gas and coal-fired generation since last summer, leading to reduced supply .American Experiment+1Reuters+1Reuters+1The Washington Post+1

2. Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) – Texas

Texas faces significant challenges, especially during early evening hours when solar power generation decreases, but demand remains high. The state has experienced over 7,100 major outages from May 2019 to August 2023, totaling approximately 35,000 hours without power .NERC+5Reuters+5Energy News Beat+5House Beautiful

3. California (WECC-California)

California’s grid is under stress due to prolonged heatwaves, wildfires, and the retirement of dispatchable power plants. While the state has added significant solar and battery storage capacity, challenges remain in meeting peak demand during extreme conditions .countoncoal.org

4. Southwest Power Pool (SPP) – Central U.S.

SPP, which includes states like Nebraska and parts of New Mexico, is vulnerable due to low wind power generation during peak demand periods. The variability of wind energy can disrupt the balance between supply and demand, increasing the risk of blackouts .Energy News Beat+3Reuters+3Reuters+3

5. New England (ISO-NE)

New England faces elevated risks of power shortfalls during periods of extreme heat and high humidity. The region’s reliance on aging infrastructure and the retirement of fossil-fueled power plants contribute to its vulnerability .NERC+5Reuters+5Reuters+5Reuters+1Reuters+1

⚠️ Contributing Factors to Elevated Blackout Risks

• Increased Electricity Demand: Driven by the proliferation of energy-intensive data centers, manufacturing plants, and the electrification of transportation, electricity demand has surged, projected to be 10 gigawatts higher than last summer .countoncoal.org+2The Washington Post+2Reuters+2
• Retirement of Traditional Power Plants: The closure of over 7 gigawatts of fossil-fueled power generation, including coal and natural gas plants, has reduced the availability of dispatchable power sources.Reuters
• Reliance on Renewable Energy: The shift toward renewable energy sources like solar and wind introduces variability, as these sources are intermittent and large-scale battery storage is still insufficient to compensate for their fluctuations.The Washington Post
• Extreme Weather Conditions: Above-average summer temperatures and prolonged heat waves increase electricity demand for cooling and can lead to forced outages of generation and transmission equipment.America’s Electric Cooperatives

For a more detailed overview of the 2025 Summer Reliability Assessment, you can refer to NERC’s official report NERC.ft.com+5NERC+5countoncoal.org+5