Sep 09 California’s electricity demand breaks all-time record during severe heat wave By Jenna Cohen Tuesday’s peak demand reached 52,061 megawatts, according to the California Independent System Operator (CAISO), the corporation that operates the state’s electrical grid. Continue reading
Sep 08 Watch 5:33 News Wrap: Deadly shooting spree in Memphis, Steve Bannon charged with fraud In our news wrap Thursday, a gunman killed four and wounded three others in a shooting spree in Memphis, the legal fight over the search of former President Trump's home in Florida takes a new turn as the Justice Department… Continue watching
Jun 30 California tests off-the-grid solutions to power outages By Daisy Nguyen, Associated Press To improve energy resilience in California, utilities and small communities are installing microgrids that can disconnect from the larger electrical grid and switch to using solar energy generated and stored locally. Continue reading
Mar 24 WATCH: Congress questions Texas officials about power grid failure By David Koenig, Associated Press Congress is looking into the cause of the power blackouts across Texas last month. A House panel heard Wednesday from officials who oversee the state's energy industry and electric grid. Continue reading
Feb 18 Watch 9:33 After brutalizing much of the U.S., storm surge shines a spotlight on disparities By Stephanie Sy, Patty Gorena Morales, Casey Kuhn, Ryan Connelly Holmes The storms that have descended on much of the country, and their after-effects, have hit vulnerable groups the hardest, especially communities of color. Dr. Robert Bullard, a professor at Texas Southern University who focuses on wealth and racial disparities related… Continue watching
Oct 26 Power shut off in California as winds, fire danger increase By Associated Press More than 1 million people were expected to be in the dark during what officials have said could be the strongest wind event in California this year. Continue reading
Jul 02 Watch 3:26 An electrical line worker’s Brief But Spectacular take on empowering her community During the pandemic, we've profiled front-line workers whose jobs have been deemed essential. One such employee is Savoya Taylor, a line-worker for ComEd, the utility that powers Chicago. She's the company’s first female overhead electrician -- and now she’s training… Continue watching
Aug 27 Watch 5:17 Still recovering from Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico braces for Tropical Storm Dorian Less than two years after Hurricane Maria ravaged Puerto Rico, Tropical Storm Dorian is bearing down on the island. Much of the territory’s infrastructure, including its power grid and water systems, is still recovering from Maria -- and is thus… Continue watching
Jul 28 Watch 4:01 Hundreds still without power in Puerto Rico as power outages continue By PBS News Hour When Hurricane Maria reached Puerto Rico last year, the island was already facing austerity measures in the wake of a debt crisis. Since then, $3.8 billion has been spent to strengthen the power grid but 260 customers still have no… Continue watching
Oct 07 Watch 3:05 Puerto Rico’s power struggles predate Hurricane Maria By PBS News Hour Hurricane Maria destroyed Puerto Rico’s grid, but the U.S. territory's power provider was in deep financial trouble and known for neglecting outages before the storm struck last month. Jessica Resnick-Ault, a reporter with Reuters who investigated the bankrupt utility company,… Continue watching