Compound climate events transform electrical power shortfall risk in the Pacific Northwest

• Published in: Nature communications Vol. 10; no. 1; p. 8
• Main Authors: Turner, S. W. D., Voisin, N., Fazio, J., Hua, D., Jourabchi, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 02.01.2019; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 704/844/4066/4078; 704/844/682; 704/844/841; 706/2805; 706/4066/4080; Climate change; Electric power; Energy demand; ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY; Humanities and Social Sciences; Hydroelectric power; Hydroelectric power generation; multidisciplinary; Peak load; Power failures; Risk; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Seasonal variations; Summer; System reliability; Water availability; United States > US; Pacific Northwest

Power system reliability is sensitive to climate-driven variations in both energy demand and water availability, yet the combined effect of these impacts is rarely evaluated. Here we show that combined climate change impacts on loads and hydropower generation may have a transformative effect on the...