Wildfires, water loss and the strain on local energy grids

The briefing

A former PNNL scientist argues Eastern Washington sits on the front lines of an energy-climate squeeze, where extreme heat spikes electricity demand while degrading the sources that meet it. Hydropower is vulnerable to heat and drought, thermal plants must throttle back when river temperatures rise, and solar panels and wind turbines both lose efficiency in hot air. He calls for modernizing grid architecture, investing in storage and isolatable micro-grids, and supporting smart demand-response strategies.