More than 50 percent of North America is facing a serious risk of an energy shortfall in the coming years amid the retirement of thermal plants and the addition of renewable energy sources, according to new data released by the non-profit North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC).
Most of the American bulk power systems (BPS) face “mounting resource adequacy challenges over the next 10 years as surging demand growth continues and thermal generators announce plans for retirement,” states the Dec. 17 report from the organization. New solar and hybrid energy resources are being added to the supply mix, but they are not being completed at a fast enough pace to meet the ever-increasing demand.
