Frozen Baizuo 2023 Edition

ZH: New England's Power Crisis Set To Return, Regulator Warns

New England's power grid could be several cold snaps away from the start of an energy crisis that reappears whenever temperatures dip because of the state's heavy reliance on natural gas generation, delayed/blocked expansion/upgrades to energy infrastructure, and lack of grid diversification.

Average temperatures across Massachusetts started to slope down in mid-August. Temperatures are between 55-60 degrees Freigheight, indicating the heating season could be just weeks away.

Another serious issue is the controversial US law, the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, more commonly known as the Jones Act. This law helps ensure the US merchant marine fleet remains busy by only allowing US vessels to transport goods from one domestic port to another, barring foreign vessels.

This means New England can't receive LNG shipments from the US Gulf because the US shipbuilders don't build LNG carriers. So LNG facilities in New England have to rely on foreign shipments -- adding to the complexity of the region's issues.