blackouts

NRG Energy announced it would acquire 18 natural gas-fired power plants with 13 GW of generation capacity as part of a $12-billion cash-and-stock deal with LS Power.

Houston, Texas-based NRG on May 12 said the deal, expected to close in the first quarter of 2026, would double the group’s overall generation capacity portfolio to 25 GW. The gas-fired plants are located in the U.S. Northeast and Texas, the company said Monday.

South African officials will allow some of the country’s coal-fired power plants to operate without the need to adhere to regulations on carbon and other emissions. The move comes as South Africa continues to struggle with producing enough electricity to power the country’s growing economy. South Africa, which relies on coal for more than 80% […]

Utilities and power grid operators walk a fine line when it comes to providing reliable and resilient power while also protecting valuable assets in the electricity transmission and distribution system. Power

Extreme weather events are occurring more frequently and with greater severity across the U.S., from scorching heat in many areas to major hurricanes battering coastal regions. Throughout the U.S., utilities

South African officials, faced with continued power outages that are hurting the country’s economy, are turning to nuclear power in an effort to support a more reliable supply of electricity. The country has experienced intermittent blackouts, part of a process known as load shedding, since 2008. The outages, imposed by state-owned utility Eskom, have escalated […]

An official with South Africa’s government said the country will accelerate its development of natural gas-fired power generation as energy shortages continue to be a challenge for the nation’s economy. Kgosientshjo Ramakgopa, the country’s electricity minister, on Nov. 5 detailed plans for at least 3 GW of new gas-fired capacity. South Africa has endured rolling […]

The energy crisis in South Africa has prompted continued calls for government action, and officials in January said an energy action plan announced last year is starting to be implemented. The plan was laid

In February 2021, a severe cold weather event, known as Winter Storm Uri, caused numerous power outages, derates, or failures to start at electric generating plants scattered across Texas and the south-central U.S. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), which manages the power supply for about 90% of the load in Texas, ordered a […]

Power networks today face two major challenges: aging infrastructure and complex intermittent power flows caused by the worldwide transition from fossil-based fuels to zero-carbon resources. With some of the

While 2021 kicked off short on optimism given chaos from the COVID-19 pandemic, the year was characterized by an extraordinary series of critical energy crises. Power blackouts, brownouts, interconnection mismatches, severe fuel shortages, and near-misses affected nearly every region in the world. Here’s a brief look back at some of the events that characterized 2021. […]