Power Grid – American Conservative Movement https://americanconservativemovement.com American exceptionalism isn't dead. It just needs to be embraced. Wed, 22 Nov 2023 17:43:16 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.2 https://americanconservativemovement.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/cropped-America-First-Favicon-32x32.png Power Grid – American Conservative Movement https://americanconservativemovement.com 32 32 135597105 A Shocking New Survey Reveals the Greatest Threats That Preppers in the U.S. Believe We Are Facing https://americanconservativemovement.com/a-shocking-new-survey-reveals-the-greatest-threats-that-preppers-in-the-u-s-believe-we-are-facing/ https://americanconservativemovement.com/a-shocking-new-survey-reveals-the-greatest-threats-that-preppers-in-the-u-s-believe-we-are-facing/#respond Wed, 22 Nov 2023 17:43:16 +0000 https://americanconservativemovement.com/?p=198665 (End  of the American Dream)—I was very surprised by the results of a survey of preppers that was recently conducted by Fortitude Ranch.  The CEO of Fortitude Ranch, Drew Miller, says that preppers are “folks who watch events and read up on threats” and so they have a really good feel for what is really going on out there.  Today, millions of Americans are preparing for the collapse of society because we really are facing very serious existential threats which could cause the complex systems that we depend upon on a daily basis to fail at any time.  So I was very interested to examine the results of this new survey, because it gives us some insight into what the prepping community is thinking right now.

Only preppers were permitted to participate in the survey, and those that responded were asked to identify the three greatest threats to our society.

More than 50 percent selected “loss of electric grid” as one of the greatest threats.  I would not have guessed that this would be the number one response, but without a doubt this is a potential danger that our politicians have neglected.  Our sun is becoming increasingly active, and it is just a matter of time before a solar storm does a tremendous amount of damage to the grid.  And once the U.S. is involved in a nuclear war, we won’t have a functioning grid at all.

“Economic collapse”, “bioengineered viruses” and “domestic civil war due to divided country” were all selected by more than 40 percent of respondents. Obviously, I was glad to see “economic collapse” so high on the list, because I write about that so much.

And I think that “bioengineered viruses” is something that preppers are very focused on right now because we have just been through the COVID pandemic.  We are certainly living during a time when great pestilences will become increasingly common, and so it is imperative for all of us to be prepared for devastating outbreaks of disease.

As for our country being divided, I really do think that 2024 is going to be the most chaotic election year that we have ever seen, and that is extremely unfortunate.

More than 30 percent of respondents identified “terrorist attacks” as one of the greatest threats that we are facing. But no other response even reached the 20 percent threshold.

A “nuclear war arising from Chinese invasion of Taiwan” barely squeaked over the 10 percent mark, and a “nuclear war arising from Ukraine-Russia conflict” was way under 10 percent. Sigh.

If this had been a survey of the general population, I could understand such low numbers. I don’t know what I have to do in order to get people to understand that nuclear war is a very serious threat.

Perhaps after the first nukes are used more Americans will start to wake up. Natural disasters also ranked very low in this survey. Maybe that is because the Yellowstone supervolcano was the only one that was specifically asked about.

Personally, I would have added an eruption of Mt. Rainier, a tsunami on the east coast, a tsunami on the west coast, a historic earthquake along the New Madrid fault zone and “the Big One” in California as potential responses on this survey.

We are far more vulnerable than most people realize, and I am entirely convinced that there will be unprecedented natural disasters in the United States during the years ahead as our very shaky planet becomes even more unstable.

Another major threat that I would have liked to see asked about in this survey is the rapidly growing global food crisis. Last year, 2.4 billion people did not have enough food to eat, and 750 million of them experienced chronic hunger.

And the numbers for this year will inevitably be even worse. In fact, the numbers have been getting steadily worse since 2015.

But because we live in a very wealthy nation that still has lots of food, most Americans are not concerned about the global famine that has already started at all.

I also noticed that “large asteroid strike” was just one notch from the bottom on this survey. Apparently this is something that most preppers are not concerned about at all. But they should be.

It won’t happen tomorrow, but eventually the entire world will become aware of a tremendous threat that is looming in the heavens.

Needless to say, there is a lot of disagreement about what our greatest threats are, but just about everyone understands that something has gone seriously wrong with our society.

And that explains why gun ownership in the U.S. has surged to heights that we have never seen before in the entire modern history of our nation.

According to a new NBC News national poll, a whopping 52 percent of U.S. voters “say they or someone in their household owns a gun”…

More than half of American voters — 52% — say they or someone in their household owns a gun, per the latest NBC News national poll.

That’s the highest share of voters who say that they or someone in their household owns a gun in the history of the NBC News poll, on a question dating back to 1999.

In 2019, 46% of Americans said that they or someone in their household owned a gun, per an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll. And in February 2013, that share was 42%.

Meanwhile, millions of Americans are stockpiling emergency food and other supplies.

They can feel that great chaos is coming, even if they do not fully grasp all of the specifics of the very serious threats that we are now facing.

If you have not been getting prepared for the collapse of society, I would very strongly encourage you to do so.

What we have been through during the past few years is just the tip of the iceberg, and the clock is ticking…

Sound off about this article on Late Prepper Substack.

Michael’s new book entitled “Chaos” is now available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com, and you can check out his new Substack newsletter right here.

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Grid Down Alert: North America at Risk of Blackouts During Cold Weather Events https://americanconservativemovement.com/grid-down-alert-north-america-at-risk-of-blackouts-during-cold-weather-events/ https://americanconservativemovement.com/grid-down-alert-north-america-at-risk-of-blackouts-during-cold-weather-events/#respond Mon, 13 Nov 2023 05:58:05 +0000 https://americanconservativemovement.com/?p=198431 (Natural News)—America’s power grid is at escalated risk of faltering due to the imminent major storms or prolonged cold snaps this coming winter, warned the North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC), the regulator that monitors the electricity system.

As per NERC’s “2023–2024 Winter Reliability Assessment” published November 8, a sweeping portion of the country that extends from Texas to the Canadian border is not adequately equipped for tough winter conditions. The report indicated that the power grid continues to fray and suffer from underinvestment, despite promises by politicians and regulators to shore it up following deadly blackouts in recent years. “As observed in recent winter reliability events, over 20 percent of generating capacity has been forced offline when freezing temperatures extend over parts of North America that are not typically exposed to such conditions,” the report alerted. “When electricity supplies become constrained, [bulk power system] operators can face a simultaneous sharp increase in demand.”

In a call, NERC told reporters that the grid has traditionally faced its greatest challenges in the summer heat but a confluence of factors in recent years has led the grid to be equally unstable during severe winter weather. “We’ve seen the system become more vulnerable to winter conditions,” said John Moura, NERC’s director of reliability assessment and performance analysis. “For decades, the system had been built and planned around summer peaks.” However, during summer this year, the non-profit also warned that two-thirds of the grid was actually at risk of experiencing summer outages during peak energy use. (Related: Warning: Two-thirds of the North American power grid is at an ELEVATED RISK of experiencing summer outages during peak demand.)

Back in February, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved new cold weather reliability standards for U.S. generators. NERC proposed the standards in response to Winter Storm Uri in 2021, which left almost 250 dead and made Texans face widespread blackouts. “Additional cold weather standards recently adopted by NERC’s Board have been filed for FERC approval,” Moura said in a statement. “This is a positive development in ensuring industry is prepared for extreme cold weather.”

Other issues NERC identified include the growing complexity of forecasting winter load and the curtailment of electricity transfers between reliability coordinators and balancing authorities. “While the curtailments alleviate an issue in one part of the system, curtailments can contribute to supply shortages or affect local transmission system operations in another area,” NERC said.

Meanwhile, as the grid continues to be unstable as winter season approaches, NERC warned Texas, –  where voters earlier this week approved a plan to fund more power generation – to be at higher risk of energy shortages this year than last. This is because it is not bringing enough new power online to meet the state’s surging demand, and its existing infrastructure has not been adequately weatherized.

Similar challenges plague areas north of the Lone Star state, according to the report. The regional grid that serves 15 states from Arkansas to Wyoming will be operating with significantly lower backup energy reserves than last year. NERC warned that while the region has the resources it needs to make it through a normal winter, extreme cold weather could “result in shortfalls that can trigger energy emergencies.”

The authors warned that a winter storm of similar scale in the region could result in a repeat of the outages that disrupted last year’s holiday season for millions. The report also concluded that power grid operators are struggling to bring on new generation and weatherize equipment at the pace required to meet the challenges of increased demand and the more extreme and unpredictable weather patterns created by climate change. “This forecast again shows that our nation faces looming grid reliability challenges while electricity demand continues to soar,” said Jim Matheson, CEO of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, which represents 900 local electricity providers. “That’s unacceptable and should be cause for concern for all Americans.”

The looming grid disruption is due to neglect and not because of greenhouse gas emissions

According to Mark Spurr, legislative director at the International District Energy Association and president of engineering and consulting firm FVB Energy, a massive grid disruption is inevitable due to three trends that are “getting worse, not better.” He listed the increase in severe weather events due to climate change, rising peak electricity demand, and a growing dependence on natural gas.

“We’re thrilled to see NERC acknowledge what everyone already knows: failure of fossil-fueled power plants, especially gas-fired ones, during the winter, is the greatest threat to grid reliability today,” said Tom Rutigliano, senior advocate for the Sustainable FERC Project at the Natural Resources Defense Council. But he said that NERC’s focus on fuel supply risk “hides that the root cause is simply poor maintenance by power plant owners and the gas industry.” He further pointed out that grid operators must plan for the poor reliability gas plants have demonstrated time and again and hold non-performing plants accountable. “Congress should follow FERC’S recommendation to set reliability standards for the gas industry,” he added.

The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association reportedly warned the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) proposed limits on greenhouse gas emissions from coal-, gas- and oil-fired power plants could worsen the grid’s precarious situation. NERC’s reliability assessment showed that our “nation faces looming grid reliability challenges while electricity demand continues to soar,” Matheson said. EPA’s “unlawful, unrealistic and unachievable proposal will result in less electricity, more power outages and higher costs for American families and businesses.”

Visit PowerGrid.news for news related to America’s dwindling electric source.

Sources for this article include:

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Experts Warn Renewable Energy Creates ‘New Opportunities’ for Chinese Grid Attacks https://americanconservativemovement.com/experts-warn-renewable-energy-creates-new-opportunities-for-chinese-grid-attacks/ https://americanconservativemovement.com/experts-warn-renewable-energy-creates-new-opportunities-for-chinese-grid-attacks/#respond Wed, 19 Jul 2023 11:57:13 +0000 https://americanconservativemovement.com/?p=194948 America’s increasing reliance on intermittent power sources and batteries is creating novel risks, according to grid specialists who testified before Congress on July 18.

Many of the greatest among them emanate from a key geopolitical rival, China.

That’s partly because the new technologies frequently use inverters. When solar panels, wind turbines, and battery systems generate or store direct current electricity, inverters turn it into the alternating current electricity that flows through the grid.

Paul N. Stockton, a senior fellow at Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Laboratory, opened what he called a “rabbit hole” in response to a question on inverters during the House Energy & Commerce hearing.

“Do we have a satisfactory supply of inverters for all of the renewable energy that’s being brought into the grid?” Rep. Michael Burgess (R-Texas) asked Mr. Stockton, who also holds positions on subcommittees in the Department of Defense and the Department of Energy.

“Manufacturers in China are important producers of inverters being deployed nationwide, across the United States,” Mr. Stockton responded.

He explained that the country’s reliance on Chinese inverters could jeopardize grid security.

“Sure, we’ve got inverters. Some of them are made in China. Others may be manufactured for final assembly in friendly nations, but they might have components—hardware, software, and firmware—that could provide attack vectors. And the constant updating of firmware from the cloud and by service providers—who’s on top of that for maintaining adequate security? Congressman, that’s an opportunity for progress,” Mr. Stockton said.

Solar Panels With Parts From China

The United States’ use of solar panels with parts from China that are assembled in Southeast Asia has been a source of controversy in this Congress. President Joe Biden vetoed a bill that would have ended his temporary pause on tariffs affecting those panels.

In his written testimony, Mr. Stockton elaborated on the ways inverter-based resources “provide China with new opportunities to disrupt the grid.”

He referred to a 2022 report from the Department of Energy outlining the cybersecurity risks associated with the changes to America’s grid.

“I propose that we prioritize our efforts to prevent Chinese leaders from accomplishing their goals in attacking the grid,” Mr. Stockton wrote.

He noted that inverter-based resources have some advantages, testifying in writing that they “have provided reliable, much-needed power during the 2023 heat domes and other extreme events.”

“Yet, they are also prone to catastrophic failures that can put the grid at risk.”

Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Fla.) also asked Mr. Stockton about inverter-related vulnerabilities facing the United States.

Mr. Stockton offered a central recommendation to the lawmakers in attendance:

“Above all, ensuring that at the level of the devices, we hold manufacturers’ feet to the fire and ensure the adoption of safe and secure inverters, instead of relying on individual utilities or energy aggregators or other entities within the larger electric system to do their own homework.”

Bruce J. Walker of the Alliance for Critical Infrastructure Security voiced similar concerns about the threat from China, citing the U.S. intelligence community’s 2023 threat assessment.

Yet, he and Mr. Stockton offered contrasting perspectives on the decentralization that could be afforded by the rise of wind and solar.

Mr. Stockton argued in written testimony that decentralization could make the grid “more difficult to disrupt than today’s version, which relies on a small number of critical, high-value assets that adversaries can selectively target.”

Mr. Walker, on the other hand, testified that decentralization “has increased the surface area for cyber penetration.”

Manny Cancel, CEO of the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), named China alongside Russia, Iran, and North Korea as foreign adversaries that could threaten the United States’ grid.

“Chinese cyber activities are probably one of the largest and most dynamic cyber threats to critical infrastructure and continue to demonstrate an increasing sophistication, including new and adaptive techniques to gain access to networks and conduct espionage,” he explained in written testimony.

More Threats From China or Russia?

“Are you seeing more threats from China or Russia?” Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-W.Va.) asked Mr. Cancel.

“Probably China right now, but it’s not consistent,” Mr. Cancel replied, adding that Russia is a “very complex adversary.”

The grid experts’ concerns weren’t limited to the threat from China and other rivals on the world stage.

“The accelerating decarbonization and retirement of coal generation is forcing the United States toward an electric generation fleet reliant upon natural gas pipelines, further increasing the electric sector’s cyber and physical attack surface area,” Mr. Walker testified.

One of the most high-profile attacks on America’s energy infrastructure targeted a similar system, the Colonial Pipeline for jet fuel and gasoline.

Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-Va.) asked Mr. Walker if he favored more reliance on coal over improvements to pipeline security as a strategy for mitigating such threats.

“I actually advocate for an all-of-the-above approach,” he told the lawmaker.

America’s emerging electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure, including existing and planned charging stations, was another recurring topic.

In his written testimony, Mr. Stockton observed that EVs open up more space for internet-managed “demand-side management”—in other words, policies and technologies designed to influence consumer behavior—”on a massive scale.”

“These same capabilities are opening the door to unprecedented opportunities to manipulate demand for power, and exacerbate rather than remedy grid instabilities,” Mr. Stockton added.

In response to questioning from Mr. Griffith, Sam Chanoski of the Idaho National Laboratory sounded more optimistic about the cybersecurity of EV charging infrastructure, based on testing at his facility and other national laboratories. He told the lawmaker that the results were on par with “any other product.”

“There is not a digital product that is invulnerable,” he said.

Article cross-posted from our premium news partners at The Epoch Times.

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Media Blackout Over Terror Incident at Vegas Power Plant https://americanconservativemovement.com/media-blackout-over-terror-incident-at-vegas-power-plant/ https://americanconservativemovement.com/media-blackout-over-terror-incident-at-vegas-power-plant/#respond Mon, 09 Jan 2023 21:06:38 +0000 https://americanconservativemovement.com/?p=188267 Editor’s Commentary: I held off on posting this article over the weekend because I thought (hoped?) it would be adjusted on Monday. By then, I reckoned, corporate media would catch up with alternative media and report this HUGE story that has tremendous implications. A terrorist attack on an important piece of America’s energy infrastructure should be big news, right?

It wasn’t. Nobody’s covering it. A Google News search for “Vegas” pops up concert information, a local shooting, and news about the Raiders. Only one story today even touched on the fact that a major terrorist attack that will take at least two years to fix took place on U.S. soil, which I’ll be discussing on today’s episode of The JD Rucker Show. So, here’s the article I should have posted over the weekend by Tyler Durden at Zero Hedge


The US power grid is under attack as extremists shoot, sabotage, and vandalize electrical equipment at power stations. One of the highest-profile attacks was when two men used guns to paralyze a substation in Washington state on Christmas Day, leaving thousands without electricity. The incident made national news, but strangely enough, another attack last week on the Las Vegas power grid went unnoticed by the national press.

Mohammad Mesmarian, 34, rammed his car through the gate of a solar power generation plant outside Las Vegas on Wednesday and set his car on fire, intending to damage a massive transformer, 8 News Now reported.

“Employees at the plant said they found a car smoldering in a generator pit,” 8 News Now said, adding the Mega Solar Array facility provides power to 13 properties on the Las Vegas Strip, all belonging to MGM Resorts.

Investigators believe Mesmarian “siphoned gasoline from his car to put on wires at the transformer,” 8 News Now said, citing documents from investigators.

“Mesmarian clarified he burned the Toyota Camry,” police said. “Mesmarian said he burned the vehicle at a Tesla solar plant and did it ‘for the future.'”

Here’s security camera footage of Mesmarian lighting his car on fire next to a giant transformer.

8 News Now said Mesmarian caused “major damage,” estimating it could take two years to receive parts and fix the transformer. Luckily, the damaged unit wasn’t online at the time of the incident..

“Following an incident at the Mega Solar Array facility, on-site personnel immediately notified authorities and shut down the plant’s operations as a precaution in accordance with industry-standard safety protocols,” an Invenergy spokesperson said.

Mesmarian was arrested at a campground Thursday. He’s being charged with committing an act of terrorism, first-degree arson, third-degree arson, destroying or injuring real or personal property of another, and escape by a felony prisoner.

Why is the national press absent in reporting this terror incident on the power grid?

Perhaps the person involved doesn’t fit the extremist profile routinely touted by progressive and state media.

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Americans Facing Elevated Winter Power Outage Risks From Tight Fuel Supplies and a Faltering Grid https://americanconservativemovement.com/americans-facing-elevated-winter-power-outage-risks-from-tight-fuel-supplies-and-a-faltering-grid/ https://americanconservativemovement.com/americans-facing-elevated-winter-power-outage-risks-from-tight-fuel-supplies-and-a-faltering-grid/#respond Thu, 15 Dec 2022 10:35:28 +0000 https://americanconservativemovement.com/?p=186462 As the snow flies and temperatures plummet, regulatory agencies and analysts alike warn that residents in multiple states are at an elevated risk of dangerous winter blackouts.

Areas like Texas, the Great Lakes region, New England, and North Carolina, are in the highest risk category, according to a report from the North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC).

In the same analysis, the agency concluded that a “large portion” of the U.S. power grid is at risk of insufficient electricity supplies during peak winter conditions.

Though climate change advocates claim severe weather events are the primary culprit, energy insiders say tight fuel supplies and an outdated electric grid play a critical role in potential blackouts.

Conservative estimates this year put the cost of critical power grid and infrastructure upgrades at $4 trillion with the use of supplemental nuclear power. Without nuclear energy, the price tag bumps up another $500 million dollars.

The administration of President Joe Biden approved a $13 billion stopgap measure to “modernize and expand” the power grid on Nov. 18. However, members of the energy community say it will take months or years for U.S. residents to see the difference.

Falling Behind

“There is a significant gap to upgrade aging grid infrastructure to meet net zero mandates and maintain reliability, and we are running out of time,” analyst Kim Getgen told The Epoch Times.

Getgen is the CEO and founder of Innovation Force, which tackles complex issues like America’s energy crisis. She says Biden’s infrastructure investment is a good start, but it’s exactly that, just a start.

“Upgrading aging infrastructure, system hardening, and resilience measures while complying with the evolving set of new cyber and physical security threats will require even more investment,” Getgen assessed.

She added that the American Society of Civil Engineers’ 2021 Infrastructure Report Card gave the U.S. power grid a C- grade.

Getgen maintains a greater level of investment is needed, saying, “we can’t maintain the millions of miles of distribution and transmission lines that deliver the power, and we can’t harness the potential of renewable clean power.”

And though upgrades are crucial, some energy specialists say the U.S. electrical grid won’t become efficient overnight. Or even by next winter.

“It’s important to remember that something as complex as the electricity grid takes time to change,” director of energy studies at the University of Florida, Ted Kury, told The Epoch Times.

Working in the university’s Public Utility Research Center, Kury says the regulatory process for new utility projects moves slowly, no matter how much money is thrown at it.

“It’s a process with numerous safeguards, but that also means it takes more time. It’s reasonable to think that we’ll start seeing impacts in the next few years,” he explained.

Senior consultant in risk management at Customized Energy Solutions, Eric Hendrick, agreed with Kury’s assessment.

“Given the politics involved in any legislation, it’ll take some time before any of these funds trickle down to the states that need the funds,” Hendrick told The Epoch Times.

During a press statement, the director of reliability assessment for NERC, John Moura, explained there are “more areas at risk” of blackouts this winter amid power generation and fuel supply challenges.

The U.S. Secretary of Energy, Jennifer Granholm, also noted in a November brief that 70 percent of the nation’s power grid is more than 25 years old.

Grid upgrades aside, strained natural gas and coal supplies are also, quite literally, fueling higher power outage risks.

Fuel Factor

Not only are millions of Americans facing a greater risk of losing power this winter, they’ll also be paying higher energy bills.

Homes that run on natural gas can expect to pay 28 percent more. For those using heating oil, a 27 percent price spike is expected, and a 10 percent increase is likely for households that rely on electricity alone for heat.

This is due to a combination of higher market prices and demand, according to an Energy Information Administration analysis.

And with the continued push toward Biden’s net zero energy goals, an additional 11,778 megawatts of coal generation was retired in 2022. Meanwhile, the demand burden has shifted heavily onto natural gas, which is already suffering supply issues.

“This problem will be difficult to address in the short term … keep in mind gas storage is currently 89 BCF below last year’s level and 86 BCF below the
five-year average,” Hendrick said.

He added that low levels of natural gas storage and a lack of transportation infrastructure in the northeastern United States would likely create “volatile scenarios” with just 10 to 12 days of colder than normal weather.

Nevertheless, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission predicts a 24 percent increase in net natural gas exports for the 2022-2023 withdrawal season.

And then there’s the coal conundrum. With fewer generating facilities and sporadic supply chain disruptions in 2022, NERC asserts that coal has “limited stocks and resupply uncertainty” this winter.

Kury says 2021 saw a spike in coal consumption for electrical power. This year has seen an overall decrease in demand, but it doesn’t shore up with diminished reserves.

“It’s still impacting coal stockpiles at power plants,” Kury said.

“When you also consider that coal is delivered by rail, and rail transportation has been impacted by labor disputes, it reinforces the need to get more fuel to power plants.”

Article cross-posted from our premium news partners at The Epoch Times.

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Power Grid Collapse Looms: Drought Forcing Drastic Cuts in Hydroelectric Power Generation https://americanconservativemovement.com/power-grid-collapse-looms-drought-forcing-drastic-cuts-in-hydroelectric-power-generation/ https://americanconservativemovement.com/power-grid-collapse-looms-drought-forcing-drastic-cuts-in-hydroelectric-power-generation/#comments Thu, 25 Aug 2022 21:45:58 +0000 https://americanconservativemovement.com/?p=179264 Editor’s Note: There are many conservatives who avoid the topic of drought. It’s crystal clear that we’re in the middle of multiple droughts across the globe, but I often get lambasted in comments for even mentioning it. Until today I couldn’t understand it. Then, I realized that droughts are being used by climate change maniacs to promote their agenda. This must be why many on the right are denying they’re even happening.

They’re definitely happening, but not due to manmade climate change. If there’s anything manmade about them, it would be the manipulations of DARPA or other advanced technological groups working with the globalist elites. I’m not saying that’s definitely what’s happening, but I’d rather look toward conspiracy rather than pretend the problem doesn’t exist.

These droughts are causing massive challenges for both agriculture and energy production. It isn’t just hydroelectric energy production that’s affected. Water is used to cool the mechanisms of other forms of energy production, so if this drought continues we will be hurting in major ways beyond “just” food shortages. I talked about this with my lovely and talented co-host and wife on today’s episode of The JD Rucker Show. Here’s the relevant snippet from the show followed by the article by Mary Villareal from Natural News

Low water levels are already causing problems with crop yields in the western part of the United States. An expansive, decades-long drought is also forcing drastic cuts in hydroelectric power generation.

Water is critical in generating electricity. Around 40 percent of water withdrawals – freshwater taken out of ground or surface water sources – in the U.S. go toward energy production, with a large majority of the shares used to cool down power plants. This process also requires energy to extract, purify, transport and deliver water to different areas.

However, the United Nations Environment Program warned earlier this month that if the dry conditions continue, two of the largest hydroelectric reservoirs in the U.S. – Lake Mead and Lake Powell – could eventually reach “dead pool status.” This means that water levels get too low to flow downstream, stopping energy generation.

The Bureau of Reclamation said that 950 feet is the lowest water elevation at which Lake Mead can generate power. It is currently only at 1,040 feet.

Lake Powell is in an even worse shape. If the water level falls another 32 feet, the dam will no longer be able to generate electricity.

“Water supplies for agriculture, fisheries, ecosystems, industry, cities and energy are no longer stable given anthropogenic climate change,” said Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton.

Lake Mead fuels the Hoover Dam, which has a power capacity of over 2,080 megawatts, enough for 1.3 million Americans to use in a year. Lake Powell, on the other hand, fuels Glen Canyon Dam, which drives generators that go up to 1,300 megawatts.

When these energy sources stop generating power, there will be bigger problems to face in the next months as the cold weather approaches.

Doug Greenland, general manager of the Cortaro Marana Irrigation District (CMID), said that having low water levels is a big issue. “As an irrigation district, all of our power comes from Hoover Dam and we’re obviously watching the water level there very closely.”

The district supplies water not only to communities in Arizona but also irrigates over 10,000 acres of farmland.

Arizona to buy more expensive energy if dams fail

Lea Marquez Peterson, chairwoman of the Arizona Corporation Commission, said people may not realize that a lot of the inexpensive hydroelectric power from the dams came from the two lakes.

She added that public utilities and rural electric co-ops tend to use the power from hydroelectric dams, and the areas that are served by the co-ops may have to buy more expensive energy if there’s a shortfall on the market.

Arizona allocated nearly 19 percent of the energy generated at Hoover Dam. A study from 2015 showed that customers would see a nominal increase in their electric bills if Glen Canyon Dam stopped producing electricity. However, there is a ripple effect. (Related: A horrifying drought is causing widespread crop failures throughout the United States and Europe.)

Marquez Peterson said those in rural communities, retirees on a fixed income, agricultural users and small businesses who rely on clean utility power can be affected and must be prepared.

The problem is not limited to the U.S. either. Extreme weather around the world is causing all sorts of stresses to energy grids, with France needing to curb output from its nuclear power plants to maintain ideal temperatures and has received allowances to discharge hotter water back into rivers to meet their energy demands.

Low water levels in the Rhine River is also threatening to disrupt coal and gasoline shipments in Germany.

As average temperatures continue to rise, many parts of the globe will see energy demands grow while supplies remain constrained as water remains a key factor for both sides.

Visit PowerGrid.news for more news related to the power grid.

Watch the video below to see how dire the situation already is at Lake Mead.

This video is from the Red Pill channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Sources include:

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Green Energy Threatens Reliability of Texas, US Electric Grids https://americanconservativemovement.com/green-energy-threatens-reliability-of-texas-us-electric-grids/ https://americanconservativemovement.com/green-energy-threatens-reliability-of-texas-us-electric-grids/#respond Mon, 18 Jul 2022 04:32:10 +0000 https://americanconservativemovement.com/?p=176394 Texans might be forgiven for thinking they have it better than the Brits when it comes to keeping the lights on. After all, they live in the energy capital of the world. However, the destructive nature of renewable energy like that used in Great Britain knows no borders, especially when American politicians push subsidies and mandates to force us off fossil fuels, threatening not just Texas but the entire U.S. electric grid.

Just a few days after the British were warned they might have to lower their thermostats and delay their dinners this winter to avoid blackouts, Texans were advised last Monday and Wednesday to conserve energy as summer temperatures peaked.

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, the grid manager for most of Texas, issued a conservation appeal to Texans and Texas businesses as last week’s temperatures were expected to top 105 degrees.

Yet the high temperatures were not all that unusual for Texas this summer. So even though demand was pushing to near-record levels, the primary reason for the call for conservation was “wind generation [that] is currently generating significantly less than what it historically generated in this time period.” On Wednesday, some forced traditional outages and lower solar output (due to West Texas cloud cover) also contributed.

Renewables—wind and solar—have come to dominate Texas’s electricity market. For years, coal and natural gas had been the leading sources of electric generation. Over the last two years, though, renewables have topped both, with wind leading the way.

But not last week.

Since the push for renewables in Texas began in 1999, electric generators have spent about $66 billion building wind and solar farms that have a generation capacity today of 46,949 megawatts, with wind accounting for 35,162 of those megawatts.

Yet as temperatures and Texans’ need for electricity were soaring, wind turbines across the state were still; and last Monday, they were producing about only 8% of their installed capacity. Operating reserves—the backup generation needed to keep air conditioners blowing and factories working—were shrinking.

Something very similar happened last year during the unprecedented 2021 blackouts when 10 million Texans went without power and 12 million without water, many for several days, during freezing temperatures. Energy analyst Robert Bryce noted at the time, “Roughly 17% of (wind’s installed) capacity was available when the grid operator was shedding load to prevent the state’s grid from going dark.”

It should also be pointed out that solar’s contribution to the grid during those pre-dawn hours was zero.

Thankfully, last Monday and Wednesday, the Texas grid did not fail. The wind began to pick up in the afternoons, allowing the state to avoid any blackouts. Yet the lesson learned is clear: During periods of extreme cold and heat, Texans have become deeply dependent on the wind and the sun to keep the lights on.

Why did energy-savvy Texas build an electric grid dependent on such unreliable energy sources? The answer is simple: Since 2005, renewable energy subsidies and benefits from federal, state, and local governments have totaled about $23 billion in Texas. As a result, investors have thrown $66 billion at renewables, chasing $1 of guaranteed return for every $3 invested, regardless of the price they get for their electricity.

Additionally, the Biden administration is doing everything it can to make investments in fossil fuels unprofitable. From bans on pipelines and drilling to the Security and Exchange Commission’s proposed rule on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing that would force businesses to disclose uncertain risks due to climate change, it is becoming more difficult and expensive to run afoul of the green agenda.

Despite these costs, renewables are still far more expensive and less efficient in practice than fossil fuels and nuclear energy. For instance, with wind operating at only 8% of installed capacity last Monday, about $51 billion of the $56 billion invested in Texas wind turbines produced nothing just when Texans needed power most. While investors profited, Texas consumers and taxpayers were paying billions for a grid on the verge of blackouts.

On the other hand, imagine if the $56 billion spent on wind had been invested in reliable generation from coal, natural gas, or nuclear fuel. With those sources operating at 90% or more of capacity, no calls for conservation would have been issued last week, electricity prices would be lower in general, and Texans would be working and resting comfortably without a regular fear of grid failure.

Of course, Texans are not the only people experiencing these problems. The reliability of the entire U.S. electric grid is under pressure as it is being forced by irresponsible politicians and bureaucrats to shift away from fossil fuels to renewables. Energy trader Brynne Kelly recently said, “Problems with power grids across the US and other countries are a potential catalyst for chaos in energy markets that are underappreciated.”

Bryce explains that the push for renewables is doomed to failure for the simple reason that they are ancient technologies that have long been eclipsed by more reliable alternatives: “By using hydrocarbons (at first coal, then later oil and natural gas) humans were able to harness ever increasing quantities of power and do so in ever-denser packages. In place of animal power, sun power, and wind power, factories began using advanced waterwheels and coal-fired steam engines.”

The only reason wind and solar have made a comeback in the United States is because of government mandates and the more than $140 billion in government subsidies renewables have received in recent years.

There is still hope, however, that Americans won’t have to experience the energy poverty and forced lifestyle changes of our British neighbors. The solution for avoiding this is straightforward: End the subsidies and mandates, and renewables will go the way of the horse and buggy.

Image by Pexels from Pixabay. Article cross-posted from Daily Signal.

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Welcome to Your Police State Future: You Will EAT CRICKETS and DRINK PEE on a Floating Prison Barge https://americanconservativemovement.com/welcome-to-your-police-state-future-you-will-eat-crickets-and-drink-pee-on-a-floating-prison-barge/ https://americanconservativemovement.com/welcome-to-your-police-state-future-you-will-eat-crickets-and-drink-pee-on-a-floating-prison-barge/#comments Sat, 16 Jul 2022 01:50:20 +0000 https://americanconservativemovement.com/?p=176152 A massive prison barge is currently floating in the East River of South Bronx, near NYC. The barge holds 800 prisoners who are being subjected to chemical assaults, vaccine medical experiments, “enhanced restraints” and other forms of illegal torture and incarceration.

The floating barge was likely built as a way for authorities to evade oversight and local laws by claiming to be in “waterways” rather than on land. This barge, shown in this YouTube video, is the perfect representation of the future of humanity under globalist police state control.

These barges are also known as “FEMA prison barges” and are believed to be used at GITMO. They are in many ways equivalent to CIA “black sites” where prisoners are routinely subjected to torture and enhanced interrogation techniques, despite the illegality of such acts.

You will eat crickets and drink pee

Meanwhile, the corrupt governments of the world are meticulously destroying domestic food supplies while cranking up cricket factories to mass produce billions of pounds of ground cricket meal to be used as “health food” for humans and pets. As reported by WestphalianTimes.com, the Canadian government is excited about a project to, “grow billions of crickets… producing a nutrient-rich protein for premium health food and pet markets.”

Got that? Cricket protein meal is “premium health food.” Soon, you will see it touted as a replacement for whey protein and beef.

(Hope you enjoy your Cricket McNuggets.)

They also claim that producing crickets instead of beef will result in, “emitting significantly less greenhouse gas emissions during the production stage.” (Pardon their horrible grammar, the government goons running this aren’t very intelligent.)

Thus, you will be told to eat crickets in order to save the planet from carbon dioxide.

As the water runs out in Lake Mead and most of the Western United States, wastewater recycling will leap into a whole new phase where people are forced to drink recycled urine if they hope to have drinking water. The water that’s removed from biosludge processing — teeming with viruses, birth control chemicals, pesticides and medications — will be filtered and repackaged as “drinking water” for the masses.

Anyone who defies the globalist agenda to exterminate humanity will be arrested, rounded up and either exterminated in a soylent green plant or incarcerated by the corrupt regime. Thus, you will eat crickets and drink pee while living on a floating prison barge.

You will own nothing and “be happy.” Or else…

Buy an electric car to save the planet, but don’t charge it or you’ll crash the power grid

Meanwhile, Tesla owners in Texas are receiving in-car alerts that tell them to avoid charging their cars because the Texas power grid is on the verge of failure due to a lack of energy from wind turbines that aren’t turning because the wind isn’t blowing.

As ERCOT has publicly announced, wind power in Texas is currently producing just 8% of its total capacity. Solar is producing 81%, but of course only during the day when the sun is shining.

Green energy, in other words, is failing yet again.

So now we have a situation where we’re all supposed to buy “green” cars to save the planet, but the green cars can’t be charged when the “green” energy isn’t working because the wind isn’t blowing. So your “green” car is useless because green energy isn’t reliable. But globalists tell everyone to move to more green energy and more green vehicles, which will only make the entire system more prone to collapse. Is this some sort of insane climate joke?

Truthfully, there isn’t enough capacity in the power grid right now to reliably charge the electric cars already in existence. What happens when millions more people buy electric vehicles and plug them in? That answer is obvious: The power grid ceases to function and you end up with rolling blackouts.

In other words, the “green” agenda will push America into a third world existence.

It’s one more important reason to get a solar generator for backup power, by the way. The brand I currently recommend is EcoFlow, and they are available at SAT123.com, one of our sponsor’s websites (scroll down to see the EcoFlow solar generators and power storage devices).

The real solution to all this is to use fossil fuels and drag ourselves out of starvation and global financial collapse. But the anti-human luciferians in charge of the world right now want to exterminate billions of human beings, so they are pursuing the policies that are designed to cause maximum human casualties.

I cover all this and much more in today’s Situation Update podcast, which also starts off with me singing a happy song called, “I love a black man with a gun.”

Brighteon.com/9b4cd358-6564-4cc5-8253-cb348ce10200

Discover more information-packaged podcasts, raw intel reports and interviews each day:

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12 Things You Need to Survive a Power Grid Collapse https://americanconservativemovement.com/12-things-you-need-to-survive-a-power-grid-collapse/ https://americanconservativemovement.com/12-things-you-need-to-survive-a-power-grid-collapse/#respond Wed, 29 Jun 2022 22:04:57 +0000 https://americanconservativemovement.com/?p=174542 Being prepared for a possible power grid collapse is a must. The power grid can shut down for an extended period for a variety of reasons, such as wildfires, hurricanes, tornadoes, mismanagement, sagging lines and high winds.

Having a prepper’s mindset is an advantage. Here are 12 things you need to prepare to survive a power grid collapse. (Related: Prepping tips: How to survive a long-term power outage.)

Light

When the power grid fails, you must have a flashlight at your home. Place flashlights in your bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, garage, vehicle and one close to your electrical panel.

Having spare flashlights is a good plan. It is much better if you have rechargeable batteries on hand for those flashlights.

Oil lamps and candles are other probable lighting sources, but they can cause fire. Candles and lamps can be an advantage when you need heat, especially in cold climates.

Having a crank-powered flashlight is good, especially if it can serve as a flashlight and a backup charger for emergencies.

Batteries

Flashlights are good, but you have to make sure that their batteries don’t go out easily.

Having batteries with long storage life is also essential. Also make sure to have rechargeable batteries and a good charger.

Rechargeable batteries can be costly but can save you a lot of money over a long period of time.

Water

Having cases of water bottles around during power outages is essential. It is better that you rotate your water storage since water will go stale after extended storage. Keeping a 55-gallon drinking potable water drum with a pump can be useful in emergencies, especially if you don’t have a substitute water source.

Toilet

Nature calls whether the power is out or not. You need to stock up on extra toilet paper.

With long-term grid down situations, toilets aren’t likely to work. Know where your poop goes.

It might be necessary to poop on a newspaper, or in a DIY Emergency Toilet and store waste in a black plastic bags. Have some wet wipes available for clean up.

Garbage bags

Having lots of heavy-duty garbage bags is a must. You should also plan ahead for your garbage management.

If you use paper plates and plastic silverware so you have less or no dish washing, that means more garbage.

Garbage bags can also be makeshift tarps if a window is blown out, or you need to make something partly waterproof temporarily.

Backup power

Having a generator is important, especially if you have the funds. Of course, you need to learn how to use it.

You must have a heavy-duty extension cord to power your appliances and you can hire an electrician to hardwire your home’s electrical system.

If you are using natural gas, you might consider using a natural gas generator.

You can also use solar panels, but they are an expensive option compared to a generator. If you are already using solar panels, you should focus on home battery solutions.

Off-grid cooking tools and supplies

Learn how to cook your meal without electricity. Practice no-electricity cooking regularly so that you will know how to do it and make sure you have the much-needed equipment.

Use outdoor grills and have extra bags of charcoal. You should also consider having extra propane tanks.

Use indoor gas ranges/stoves that will work when there is a power outage. You can also purchase a portable gas stove.

Food that you eat daily

Begin to stock more of the food that you regularly eat. Focus on food that you can store without electricity.

Stockpile food that is on sale since it costs less. Remember to eat your oldest food first. Since you eat daily, it will keep your stock of food fresh.

Ensure that you have food supplies enough to last for a week if not more. Make sure you can process and prepare your food without electric power.

Have a three-day food supply for everyone in your family. You can also complement it with freeze-dried or canned foods that you like.

Heating and cooling equipment and supplies

For people living in cold climates, it is best to consider an indoor safe heater to keep you warm. You also need to get extra propane tanks.

If you have a fireplace or woodstove, it is better to store firewood.

Communication tools

Your cell phone battery will eventually be drained of power so you should have a solar charger, car charger, extra power battery pack and crank USB charger.

Have a written or printed-out list of key phone numbers along with local paper maps so you can get to where you are going and when your GPS isn’t working.

Have a crank-powered radio so you can listen to emergency broadcasts and TV broadcasts.

First aid supplies

Make sure that you have your own first aid kit. Have one first aid kit for your home, in your vehicle and at your work. You should have enough first aid supplies that will enable you to survive for a week.

Learn CPR and basic first aid training and make sure that members of your family are properly trained as well.

Money and other items

Businesses that are open may only be able to take cash, or only take credit. It’s good to have both on hand, especially small bills.

A deck of cards and board games, meanwhile, can be useful when you feel bored and want to pass the time.

Find more articles with survival tips at Survival.news.

Watch this video to learn more about power grid collapse.

This video is from the Prosciencetruth channel on Brighteon.com.

Follow Preparedness.News for more news related to prepping.

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