Electricity Shortage Warnings Grow Across U.S. - 09 mai 2022

The risk of electricity shortages is rising throughout the U.S. as traditional power plants are being retired more quickly than they can be replaced by renewable energy and battery storage. Power grids are feeling the strain as the U.S. makes a historic transition from conventional power plants fueled by coal and natural gas to cleaner forms of energy such as wind and solar power, and aging nuclear plants are slated for retirement in many parts of the country. California regulators on Friday said as much as 3,800 megawatts of new supplies may face delays through 2025. 

Texas is now debating what would be a major philosophical shift for its power market: paying power generators ahead of time for resources that might be needed, instead of just compensating them for actual power sold. That approach would largely benefit incumbent generators including NRG Energy (US.NRG) Inc. and Vistra Corp. (US.VST) , which own numerous conventional power plants with the potential to profit from such contracts.