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How the grid can ride out winter storms

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MIT Technology Review

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TL;DR

AI Generated

The recent winter storm in the eastern US tested the grid's ability to handle extreme weather conditions, with fossil-fuel plants experiencing significant unplanned outages. Analysis showed that gas-fired, coal, and oil-burning plants struggled during the storm, impacting power supply. Lessons from past winter storms, like the one in Texas in 2021, emphasize the need for grid resilience and diversification of energy sources. Energy storage and offshore wind could play key roles in enhancing grid flexibility and reliability during future extreme weather events. The US Department of Energy issued emergency orders to ensure power supply during the ongoing cold snap, highlighting the importance of maintaining grid reliability.

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