New York narrowly avoided power outages during June’s first major heat wave, as electricity use surged near maximum capacity, according to USA Today. The state issued energy warnings and urged conservation, spotlighting growing strain on the grid amid rising temperatures and renewable energy transitions.
Conservatives blame planned closures of older gas plants and increased demand from electric vehicles. Environmental advocates counter that the grid held firm — but agree more renewables and efficiency upgrades are urgently needed.
Big fixes are coming: a Canadian hydroelectric line and a Long Island wind farm will replace power lost from Indian Point’s shutdown. Meanwhile, Gov. Hochul has proposed a new nuclear plant and embraces an “all-of-the-above” energy strategy to keep the lights on.
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