Power Outages in the Carolinas: Over 360 Substations Down, Power Restoration Could Take "Months"
Representative Chuck Edwards, a Republican from North Carolina, whose district in the western part of the state was severely affected by Hurricane Helene, issued a press release on Sunday detailing the extensive infrastructure damage.
Edwards reported that power outages were still widespread in Western North Carolina as of Sunday. By Wednesday morning, data from Poweroutage.US indicated that over 400,000 residents in the region were without power.
He further elaborated that 360 power substations were "out of service", with many of these substations completely flooded. Duke Energy is unable to assess the damage until the floodwaters recede, the water is pumped out, and the equipment is thoroughly dried.
Transformer Shortages and Price Increases
What is particularly intriguing is that the trend of powering up America, to power AI data centers and other electrification trends such as EVs and onshoring manufacturing, has led to shortages and price increases in the transformer market.
"Distribution transformers are a bedrock component of our energy infrastructure," said Killian McKenna, a researcher at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, who was recently quoted by PV Magazine.
He added that utilities needing to add or replace transformers are currently facing high prices and long wait times due to supply chain shortages. This could potentially affect energy accessibility, reliability, affordability, and more.
Other reasons for the transformer shortages, apart from power grid upgrades, include raw material sourcing problems, pandemic-related supply chain issues and backlogs, labor constraints, shipping issues, and geopolitical tensions.
Response to the Power Grid Crisis
Jesse D. Jenkins, an assistant professor and macro-energy systems engineering and policy expert at Princeton University, responded to the dire situation of a grid apocalypse unfolding in the Southeast US:
"This is devastating. We do NOT have 360 substations worth of transformers and other electrical equipment sitting in stockpiles waiting to be deployed. It could take a very long time to restore power to everyone. Are we facing a Hurricane Maria-type impact on grid infrastructure?"
Adding to the troubles of North Carolina residents, some users have pointed out that the Biden-Harris administration supplied transformers to Ukraine. It's unclear if these transformers were taken from US stockpiles. Meanwhile, others note that Ukraine uses a different electrical system than the US.
Earlier this year, US ambassador to Kyiv Bridget Brink expressed her delight on social media, stating that the United States Agency for International Development delivered "50 voltage transformers, 9 current transformers, & 80 isolators."
Nathaniel Horadam, a managing consultant and automated vehicle specialist with the Atlanta-based nonprofit Center for Transportation and the Environment, wrote on social media, "It's hard to express how insane this is. With ongoing supply chain challenges facing switchgear and transformers, this could take many months to resolve."
"There's no excess capacity to quickly replace substation infrastructure. Lower priority sites could literally take years," Horadam warned.
Bottom Line
The current situation raises serious concerns about the state of America's power grid and the country's preparedness for disasters. It also brings to light the issue of prioritizing foreign aid over domestic needs, especially in times of crisis. What are your thoughts on this situation? Do you think the US should prioritize its domestic infrastructure over foreign aid? Share this article with your friends and let's get the conversation started. Remember, you can sign up for the Daily Briefing, which is delivered every day at 6pm.
