E-Paper
New York warns of power shortages as electricity prices soar above $7,300
New York’s Central Park reached 99F (37C) Tuesday afternoon, setting a new record high for that date.
New York’s grid operator issued a rare energy warning due to dwindling power supplies as a blistering heat wave forced residents in the region to crank up their air conditioning.
Wholesale electricity prices on Long Island soared above $7,300 a megawatt-hour on Tuesday evening with prices in New York City hitting $2,999.
New York’s Central Park reached 99F (37C) Tuesday afternoon, setting a new record high for that date. It fell just short of 101F, the warmest June temperature ever recorded at the park, which occurred on June 27, 1966 and June 29, 1934, according to National Weather Service data.
The eastern half of the US has been wilting under high temperatures this week, and heat advisories and excessive heat warnings stretch unbroken from eastern Texas to northern Maine. The high temperatures prompted the Trump administration to declare a power emergency in the US Southeast, allowing the local utility to exceed certain air pollution limits and take other steps to boost generation.
The New York Independent System Operator, which runs the New York grid, said additional steps may need to be taken to stabilize the grid including rotating outages unless power demand is lowered or additional supplies are tapped.
The New England grid entered into a level 1 energy emergency alert, the lowest of three levels, at 5 p.m. local time, after the unexpected loss of generation “left the region short of the resources needed to meet both consumer demand and required operating reserves,” according to a statement. PJM Interconnection LLC, which manages the largest US grid in the mid-Atlantic to the Midwest, is operating in a low level energy emergency alert for the second day and extended it into Wednesday.
Heat warnings are also posted across parts of Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Some parts of New York City experienced blackouts on Monday, and local utility Consolidated Edison Inc. has been issuing warnings for customers to conserve energy since Sunday. Voters in the city endured the oppressive heat to vote in the city’s mayoral primary race.
PSEG Long Island also urged residents to cut back nonessential energy use on Tuesday.
In addition to straining the grid, the heat has slowed Amtrak trains from Boston to Virginia, according to the federally-funded passenger railroad’s website. Rails and overhead wires can kink and droop under high temperatures.
