That Darn Weather
By far the biggest cause of power interruptions in 2017 was weather events. With two major hurricanes striking the U.S. just weeks apart the power industry’s resilience was tested once again. The response in the field and the restoration of electric service to thousands of homes and businesses was amazing. Not wanting to be outdone, 2018 has already produced a weather event that affected millions of people. The “bomb cyclone” as it has been called tested the entire northeastern U.S. Record levels of natural gas were consumed for power generation and the electricity price soared. The U.S. Department of Energy has detailed the event and it’s affect on the power markets in the attached article. It goes without saying that with all the planning and weather forecasting we still can’t avoid the hazards of nature.
