Energy

Hurricane Laura Live Updates : NPR

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Climate Change Makes Hurricanes Like Laura More Likely : Hurricane Laura Live Updates : NPR

Hurricane Laura's top wind speeds nearly doubled in just 24 hours as it approached the border between Texas and Louisiana. The wall of water it pushed in front of it grew until forecasters warned that it would produce "unsurvivable" storm surge.

Laura's rapid intensification is one hallmark of climate change. As the Earth warms up, the water on the surface of the ocean gets hotter. Hot water is like a battery charger for hurricanes; it send energy and moisture into the storm as it forms and helps it grow more powerful and deadly.

What Happens If There’s a Blackout in NYC? – THE CITY

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What Happens If There’s a Blackout in NYC? – THE CITY

A peak summer day in past years, he noted, would result in a usage of about 13,000 megawatts of power in the five boroughs and Westchester. Demand for power during the current heat wave reached a peak of 11,730 megawatts on Monday afternoon.t

Still, residential demand has surged. A recent study by Columbia University’s Earth Institute reported “substantial increases” of around 23% of weekday New York City residential electricity consumption during the shutdown.

In May, Con Ed blamed a potential rate increase on increased residential demand as work-from-home becomes the norm. A typical city residential customer using 350 kilowatt hours per month could expect a 9.5% hike, from about $99 in 2019 to nearly $109 per month this summer, the utility said.

Con Ed Can’t Handle The Heat, Asks Over 100K Queens Customers To Please Turn Off AC – Gothamist

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Con Ed Can’t Handle The Heat, Asks Over 100K Queens Customers To Please Turn Off AC – Gothamist

Some experts have warned about the heightened potential for brownouts or blackouts this summer, as more New Yorkers stay home due to COVID-19. While the city's commercial districts have power lines designed to carry a heavy summer load, the new remote work force cranking their at-home AC units could create a surge in demand that strains the city's grid.