Years of destructive fires are forcing utilities to prioritize wildfire resilience as they plan the next generation of the U.S. electric grid. Why it matters: Utilities aren't just expanding the electric grid — they're designing it to withstand a more fire-prone climate . - This year's wildfire season is exceeding the 10-year average for both the number of fires and acres burned. The big picture: The U.S. is embarking on one of the biggest grid expansions in decades just as wildfire risk is becoming a defining challenge for utilities. Today's planning decisions may determine how resilient tomorrow's grid becomes. - Utilities are combining weather models, wildfire behavior, infrastructure data and population impacts to help…
Climate adaptation is increasingly moving from planning to real-world action as heat waves, droughts, wildfires, floods and hurricanes test communities across the U.S. Why it matters: Even if greenhouse gas emissions decline, many communities are already facing more frequent or intense climate extremes, prompting officials to invest in infrastructure designed to reduce future damage. Driving the news: After catastrophic flooding killed more than 130 people in Texas Hill Country last year, newly installed sirens were credited with warning residents during July's floods, which killed three people but avoided a repeat of the 2025 disaster. - It's an example of Republican-led states adapting after disaster, said Alice Hill, senior fellow…
A series of dangerous heat waves this summer — including one that has left 17 states under an emergency federal order — are putting the electric grid under an intense real-world stress test. Why it matters: Successive summer heat waves are forcing utilities to rethink how they prepare the grid for longer and more frequent periods of extreme stress. - They're raising questions about whether the electric grid can keep pace with surging demand from both climate change and the AI-driven electricity boom. State of play: Heat waves create a double challenge by increasing electricity demand for air-conditioning while reducing the efficiency of some power plants. Zoom in: Texas has become one of the nation's biggest proving grounds for…
The wars in Iran and Ukraine show how the drone tech revolution makes it easier — and cheaper — to interrupt energy supplies by striking refineries and oil tankers. Why it matters: It's an important reason why oil traded at $100 per barrel this week and gasoline and diesel fuel are so expensive these days. - Looking ahead, the way drones are reshaping modern warfare has high stakes for how policymakers and companies view new and existing power grids, pipelines, liquefied natural gas ports and plenty in between. The big picture: "Anyone building energy infrastructure in any area where kinetic conflict is even remotely possible is going to have to think about drone defense," said Gregory Brew, an analyst with the Eurasia Group, a…