Wyoming Could Solve The Nations Coming Power Shortage

The United States is at risk of running short on power.

The cause is a combination of the closing of coal and natural gas plants and the demolition of hydroelectric.

At the same time, we are building massive new data and technology factories across the country. That's a huge power demand that was not there just a few years ago.

Georgia's demand for industrial power is surging to record highs.

Arizona Public Service, the largest utility in that state, is also struggling to keep up.

Northern Virginia will need several large nuclear power plants to serve all the new data centers planned and under construction.

Texas, where electricity shortages are routine on hot summer days can't keep up with its exploding population.

California, along with several other states, is demanding a change to all-electric vehicles. But they don't even have the power to maintain what they have.

“When you look at the numbers, it is staggering,” said Jason Shaw, chairman of the Georgia Public Service Commission, which regulates electricity. “It makes you scratch your head and wonder how we ended up in this situation. How were the projections that far off? This has created a challenge like we have never seen before.” (Washington Post).

Utility executives are lobbying to delay the retirement of coal and gas plants and even bring more online.

Soaring demand for power has delayed coal plant closures in Kansas, Nebraska, Wisconsin, and South Carolina.

Utility companies point out that the ever-increasing demand for power cannot be met by Wind and Solar.

Grid Strategies warns in its report that “there are real risks some regions may miss out on economic development opportunities because the grid can’t keep up.” (Washington Post).

There is a call in the energy industry to end the Biden administration's push to end the usage of gas heaters and gas stoves. Gas-powered appliances reduce overloading on the electric grid.

Predictions for how much power we need, and how much we can generate, are wildly off.

Wind and solar farms have never produced as much as was promised.

When the data center industry began looking for new hubs, “Atlanta was like, ‘Bring it on,’” said Pat Lynch, who leads the Data Center Solutions team at real estate giant CBRE. “Now Georgia Power is warning of limitations. ... Utility shortages in the face of these data center demands are happening in almost every market.” (Washington Post).

Wyoming has more than enough energy to provide electricity directly, or ship coal and natural gas to power stations around the nation.