Some Hope for the Future of Our Grid
Published
by Terry Rubenthaler on Wednesday, April 2, 2025
in
Electric
Have you ever been to a Buc-ee’s gas station? If not, you’ve probably heard of it. It’s famous for the food and souvenirs they sell to road trippers, and the locations have become destinations in their own right.
Personally, while I wish Buc-ee’s the best and I know many people who love Buc-ee’s, the stores aren’t for me. Whenever I go in, it feels like chaos with all the shoppers swirling around and moving in different directions.
The last few months in the energy industry have felt a bit like being in a Buc-ee’s. Every day brings a new development, and at times, it’s hard to keep up. I know you’ve felt this too, especially when Canada threatened to shut off energy supplies to Michigan.
However, we don’t need to worry. While Michigan’s energy infrastructure is physically connected to Canada, our power supplier, Wolverine, does not directly import electricity or natural gas from Canada.
Additionally, our regional grid operators, MISO, and PJM, who manage electric supply and demand in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, and beyond, do not believe there will be a shortage. PJM does not get any power from Canada, and MISO’s Canadian imports accounted for less than one percent of its total energy in 2024. That’s the equivalent of one power plant. Losing one power plant in its supply is a normal day for MISO. Grid operators are well versed in managing these types of changes without impacting reliability.
Beyond this, I have hope that we’re headed in the right direction on the energy front. On the first day of the Trump administration, they declared a national energy emergency. According to the declaration, “a precariously inadequate and intermittent energy supply, and an increasingly unreliable grid, require swift and decisive action.” Regardless of who says this, it’s long overdue. Addressing our energy supply is important and necessary.
I think we can all agree that we want clean air AND reliable electricity. Renewables play a vital role in our generation mix because they help create a diverse, responsible energy portfolio. However, the premature closing of traditional fossil fuel plants has placed the grid in a precarious state. It has put us all at risk of blackouts because there may not be enough supply to meet demand, particularly when temperatures are extreme and the need for electricity is growing rapidly. Unfortunately, wind and solar are weather dependent, and as a nation, we don’t yet have a means, such as battery storage, to compensate for that.
Permitting and sighting are also major issues. It can take up to seven years to find a location for a new power plant and to secure the required permits before construction begins, even for a renewable project.
It’s well past the time that the national conversation around electricity acknowledges these issues. I am hopeful we can move towards a reliable, environmentally responsible electric supply.
No matter what happens though, rest assured that your MEC team is dedicated to keeping your lights on. Hopefully by the time you read this, the chaos will have gone back to just being at Buc-ee’s.