Reduction in consumption
A regional energy emergency was declared by ISO New England, the grid operator for the northeastern United States. Bloomberg reports that the agency is urging residents of New England to reduce electricity use in response to the ongoing blizzard.
“We have established an energy warning regime in the region and are asking for lower consumption due to the potential for unexpected losses in generation”, stated Matthew Kakley, spokesperson for ISO New England.
He noted that current electricity demand in the region exceeds the operator’s available capacity. At one point, spot electricity prices climbed to about $1,800 per MWh.
Decrease in gas production
U.S. natural gas production has fallen to a record low because of the winter storm, as reported by Bloomberg. American journalists describe the downturn as a peak not seen in more than a decade.
The daily decline reached 2.8 million cubic meters, roughly 10% of output. The blizzard forced some wells to close and caused liquid in major gas pipelines to freeze.
Meanwhile, gas demand surged to its highest level in four years. Poweroutage.us, which monitors energy use, shows more than 1.7 million households and businesses across the United States without electricity. The East Coast, from Florida to Maine, faced the most severe disruption.
Victims of the storm
CNN reported at least 16 storm-related fatalities in the United States, with NBC later updating the count to 27. More than 200 million Americans in 48 states received heightened weather warnings on December 23. Forecasters called this one of the most comprehensive winter weather alerts on record.
Three fatalities occurred in separate snowstorm accidents in Kansas and Kentucky. Additional deaths were recorded in Wisconsin, Tennessee, and Missouri. In New York State, two people died after paramedics were unable to respond in time. NBC also reported fatalities in Michigan, Colorado, Nebraska, and Oklahoma.
A major crash in Ohio, involving about 50 vehicles on a snow-packed highway, resulted in four deaths and prompted local police to advise motorists to avoid highways unless necessary.
More than 3,000 flights were canceled across the United States due to the winter storm. The heaviest disruption was concentrated at airports serving Denver, Detroit, Chicago, and Minneapolis, where most planes were grounded by heavy snow.
Emergency in Texas
The U.S. Department of Energy announced a state of emergency for Texas. Officials stated that the emergency stems from a lack of electrical power and generation capacity, alongside other contributing factors.
The department indicated it had authorized power engineers to expedite permitting and operations in order to boost production amid the blizzard.
According to the Department of Energy, the blizzard has left Texas residents without about 16.7 thousand megawatts of electricity generated from hydrocarbons, wind, and solar. Cold temperatures and strong winds reduced generating capacity, triggering a record surge in electricity use. The transition away from greener energy sources toward oil and gas was noted in the context of meeting demand.
It’s Always Sunny in California
Across the country, local authorities issued various warnings coordinated with the U.S. National Weather Service. Blizzard warnings covered Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana, and other southern states, while cold winds affected Minnesota and Illinois near the Great Lakes.
A winter weather warning is in effect in North Dakota and Montana. The Midwest and Appalachian regions show calmer conditions. The northern and northeastern portions of the country have experienced the most severe frosts, with temperatures dipping to between -11 and -27 degrees Celsius in those areas. In the southernmost districts, frosts reach as low as -8 degrees, while California reports temperatures ranging from +9 to +15 degrees, according to Weathercentral.com.