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The federal government wants to know how much electricity crypto uses. Crypto firms aren't happy.

Feb 5, 2024
The feds want data from crypto miners. The miners may file suit to block the request.
Crypto mining consumes as much as 2% of all electricity in the U.S., according to the Energy Information Administration. Above, a bitcoin mining operation in Rockdale, Texas.
Mark Felix/AFP via Getty Images

Heat strains Texas power grid as population keeps growing

Aug 28, 2023
The state is home to many of the fastest-growing cities in the U.S. Add record temperatures, and it's no surprise that the grid is stressed.
This summer, peak demand for the Texas grid is 11,000 megawatts more than it was two years ago.
Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Superconductor breakthrough claims draw interest and skepticism

Aug 2, 2023
Claims of a room-temperature superconductor have gone viral, but others' earlier claims to have achieved this have been debunked.
A superconductor chilled to a very cold temperature levitates under magnets. It's called the Meissner effect.
iStock/Getty Images

As extreme heat lingers, millions of U.S. households face a utility shutoff crisis

Jul 7, 2023
And it's leaving some people without the electricity to power a fan or air conditioner during intense heat waves.
Utilities cut power to at least 3 million customers who missed payments last year and shutoffs happen most often in the summer, according to research from University of Pennsylvania and Indiana University.
Scott Heins/Getty Images

Risk of electricity shortages rises with extreme heat waves

Jun 28, 2023
Supply shortfall caused by spiking demand during extreme summer weather could affect two-thirds of the U.S.
Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Are there signs of a slowdown for U.S. natural gas?

May 17, 2023
The number of U.S. rigs has dropped along with natural gas prices. Here's what that means for the "shale revolution."
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Hurricanes Fiona and Maria, 5 years apart, underscore needs of Puerto Rico's grid

Sep 19, 2022
Emergency repairs were made after electricity network went down during Maria. But investments in resilience have been slow to come.
A power line battered by Hurricane Fiona. The storm, which hit nearly five years to the day after Hurricane Maria, caused power outages across Puerto Rico.
Jose Jimenez/Getty Images

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What might new leadership at ERCOT mean for the troubled Texas power grid?

Aug 16, 2022
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas' new CEO has experience working under a different power pricing model — a capacity market.
Texas operates an energy-only electricity market, which means energy producers only get paid when they generate, and there’s usually not a lot of electricity on standby.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Extreme heat is driving up demand for natural gas, along with prices

Jul 22, 2022
Nearly 40% of U.S. electricity is generated by natural gas, so when millions of air conditioners are turned on, prices rise.
With large swaths of the U.S. under excessive heat warnings this week, Americans are blasting their air conditioners, which can increase electricity bills.
Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Residents of rural Alaska brace for heat-up in fuel prices

Jul 13, 2022
High gas prices threaten food security as well as people's ability to keep the lights on and protect themselves from the cold.
In rural Alaska, the gas that powers electricity-producing generators is delivered by barge or air. Brevig Mission residents expect prices to climb when the next delivery comes.
Tashka/Getty Images