(WWJ) – The Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), the regional power grid operator that oversees Michigan, is predicting there could be energy capacity shortfalls in June, July and August.
JT Smith, executive director of market operations at MISO, says there’s a possibility that some areas, including Michigan, could be at an “increased risk of temporary, controlled outages to preserve the integrity of the bulk electric system.”
So-called controlled brownouts could be necessary to maintain the grid’s reliability in a summer that is expected to be warmer than usual. But DTE Energy and Consumers Energy have both said they'll be plenty prepared for the summer season.
MISO recently released its Seasonal Readiness Report for the upcoming summer, predicting the available capacity of the region’s power grid may not be enough during the peak summer months.
MISO predicted in June the available capacity will be 116 gigawatts – just enough to meet peak load demand.
In July, however, they’re predicting a peak demand of 124 GW, just about the 119 GW capacity. In August, MISO predicts the estimated peak demand will surpass that capacity at 121 GW.
Officials with DTE Energy and Consumers Energy – Michigan’s two largest utilities – have both said they don’t foresee any issues with having enough power this summer.
“Serving Michigan homes and businesses with reliable energy is job #1. This summer is no different: Customers across Michigan can count on us to deliver reliable energy,” a DTE spokesperson said, according to a report from WDIV. “As we continue the transition to cleaner, renewable fuel sources for electricity such as wind and solar, the natural gas plants in our portfolio make sure that stable, reliable, on-demand electricity is available when sources like renewables and other intermittent sources are not available. With Consumers Energy’s diverse mix of energy sources, we are confident we have reliable energy sources to meet customer demand in 2022 and beyond.”
Related
MISO's projections come a year after many Metro Detroiters experienced prolonged power outages multiple times during the summer of 2021, due to severe weather events.
More information on MISO's projections can be found on their website.