Great Lakes Wire

Industry experts warned that Michigan and many parts of the U.S. could face increased electricity blackouts this summer due to sweltering temperatures.

Many people blame Pres. Joe Biden's policies for this probability.

Katie Tubb, a research fellow for energy and environmental issues at The Heritage Foundation, said in an April commentary that Biden's version of "energy independence" during an energy crisis is headed in the wrong direction. She said that by appropriating terms such as "independence," "clean," and "innovation," the Biden administration is pushing for "advancing costly policies that ultimately will eliminate conventional fuels by regulatory fiat." Tubb added that this "self-imposed energy scarcity" is what Biden promised on his campaign trail in 2019.

"When Biden speaks of energy independence, he means forcing a rapid transition to renewable energy technologies and aggressively phasing out conventional fuels," she said in her commentary.

Electrical-grid operators are warning Michigan residents that blackouts could be necessary during the summer months, as rising temperatures increase demand, according to Fox News. Hot weather is not the only reason Michigan could face an electrical shortfall. 

Joe Trotter, the Energy, Environment, and Agriculture Task Force director for the American Legislative Exchange Council, told Fox News that "too many traditional power plants are being shut down as grid operators attempt to switch over to renewable sources of energy."

"Our leaders need to be real cognizant of the day-to-day impact," Trotter said. "It’s great to look at the future, but the present has a huge impact on their constituencies." 

Some people believe that the Biden administration's hurried changeover to renewable energy sources is at the forefront of this issue, Fox News reported.

The nation's power grid is under stress like never before due to retiring fossil fuel plants and extreme weather, The Washington Post reported. Regulators warned that "the kind of rolling outages that are now familiar to California and Texas could be far more widespread as hot summer weather arrives."

Biden noted during a press briefing at the U.S. Energy Association in May that part of his efforts included the phasing out of fossil fuel units before new batteries are available, according to National Review. Previously, the White House announced Biden's long-term strategy to decarbonize the U.S. economy by 2050.

John Bear, CEO of Midcontinent Independent System Operator — which services the Midwest corridor from Minnesota to the Texas Panhandle — is one expert who affirmed that a summer of widespread blackouts is probable. The Midwest, Texas, and the South are at the highest risk, as reported by National Review. Bear cited the Biden administration's efforts to transition America's six energy grids to a decarbonized system as part of the problem.

The blackout warnings come amid skyrocketing energy prices across the country. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), the independent body that oversees the U.S. electricity grid, estimated that power prices in the Midwest region could soar by as much as 233% at the peak of summer, according to National Review. This increase will be boosted by high gas prices and high demand as temperatures rise.

Republican commissioners on the FERC, joined by some industry groups, argued for a slower transition to renewable energy to ensure that energy shortfalls are avoided.

"We're headed for a reliability crisis," Mark Christie said during the FERC’s monthly meeting in May, as reported by National Review. Christie is one of the commission's Republican members and was appointed by former Pres. Donald Trump. "We’re just not ready yet," he said.

Democrats on the commission sought to paint power transmission issues, not the energy transition, as the reason for periodic blackouts.

"Look into my eyes," Biden said to a questioner during a campaign event in Newcastle, New Hampshire, in September 2021. "I guarantee you we’re going to end fossil fuels."