OBLITERATION?

The one thing that is in danger of being Obliterated may be our national power grid during another nationwide heatwave.

This is a stark yet increasingly undeniable picture of the strain on our national power grid. This confluence of climate change, aging infrastructure, and rising demand, especially from AI and other high-energy technologies, poses a real and present danger.

Here’s a breakdown of the critical pressure points and implications:

⚠️ What’s Wrong

1. Aging Infrastructure
   • Much of the U.S. grid was built in the mid-20th century.
   • Transmission lines and transformers were designed for a different climate and a different level of demand.
   • Many components are now exceeding their intended lifespans, with limited federal investment in large-scale upgrades.
2. Climate Extremes
   • Heat domes, like the one currently broiling the East Coast, are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change.
   • Extreme heat drives up energy demand (air conditioning while also reducing the efficiency of power lines and generation capacity.
   • Storms, wildfires, and floods further strain the system, sometimes knocking out power to millions.
3. Urban Vulnerability
   • Cities like New York, with high population density and aging infrastructure, are especially vulnerable.
   • A failure in one substation or line can cascade, causing broader blackouts.
4. New Energy Demands
   • AI data centers, crypto mining, and the electrification of vehicles and buildings are intensifying the load.
   • AI, in particular, is a silent energy hog; training large models can use as much energy as hundreds of homes per year.

🔌 Not Enough Done

• Grid modernization efforts exist — smart grids, microgrids, energy storage, and renewables integration — but:
  • Progress is patchy and underfunded.
  • Local and regional utilities often lack the capital or political will to overhaul outdated systems.
• The Biden administration's Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act allocates billions to the grid, but implementation is slow and uneven.
• The Department of Energy is issuing warnings, but not mandates — meaning action is often reactive, not preventative.

🧩 What We Need

1. Accelerated Grid Modernization
   • Replace failing infrastructure and increase capacity for renewables.
   • Invest in battery storage to balance intermittent sources like wind and solar.
   • Expand long-distance transmission to move power from where it’s generated to where it’s needed.
2. Decentralization
   • Encourage microgrids and local generation (e.g., rooftop solar + batteries) to reduce grid dependency.
   • Local resilience becomes crucial during disasters.
3. Smart Policy & Regulation
   • Utilities need incentives and regulatory reforms to modernize the grid.
   • AI and tech companies must be held to energy transparency and possibly taxed for high usage.
4. Public Awareness & Demand Management
   • Conservation isn’t just about going green — it’s about avoiding grid collapse.
   • Time-of-use pricing and smart thermostats can help flatten demand spikes.

💡 Finally 

The grid crisis isn’t just an infrastructure issue. It’s a climate, technological, and political issue all rolled into one. The U.S. isn’t alone in this. Europe and parts of Asia are grappling with similar pressures, but the U.S. has both a unique opportunity and responsibility to lead in adaptive resilience.

If we don't plan and invest now, we may find ourselves in a future where brownouts, blackouts, and energy rationing are as normal as the heatwaves causing them.

While any future gigantic heat dome parks itself as an unwelcome guest over the USA, residents of ultra-dense megacities are the perfect example of a country so cooked by climate change that it's overwhelming the existing infrastructure.

Thousands were left without power for a second day in a row in parts of NYC’s Queens, Brooklyn, and Staten Island, according to NYC broadcaster PIX 11. The power company, Con Edison, managed to restore power to tens of thousands of households in The Bronx.