Can Illinois’ power grid take the heat?
Power lines near the Clinton Nuclear Plant in Clinton, Illinois. Illinois Public Media
Illinois has seen several heatwaves this summer with central Illinois expected to see another during the first week of August 2022. That means more people using the air conditioning, and more power usage overall, prompting questions about the stability of the state’s power grid and the plants that produce the energy we use. In 2021, the General Assembly passed a law that set Illinois on a path to phase out carbon emissions by 2045, while also diversifying the renewable energy workforce and relying less on legacy energy providers such as coal.
GUESTS:
Kari Lydersen
Reporter, Energy News Network
Ashlynn Stillwell
Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
$10 billion power grid upgrade will help boost renewable energy in central Illinois | WBEZ Chicago https://t.co/hImTjnBLr1
— Lester Shen (@Lester_MnCEE) July 29, 2022
Questions remain whether Illinois' power grid will go uninterrupted this summer https://t.co/VAScpMhuUM via @thecentersquare
— John (@miniraptor22) June 25, 2022