The Department of Energy (DOE) has issued an emergency order authorizing Duke Energy to operate at maximum capacity, even exceeding certain emission levels, to reduce the risk of potential blackouts during a heat wave in the Southeast United States, the agency stated in a June 24 announcement.
According to a June 25 alert issued by the National Weather Service, valid through Friday, “extremely dangerous heat persists across the Midwest and East Coast.”
Duke Energy’s electric utilities serve 8.6 million customers in Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
On June 23, Duke had sent a request to Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, warning that its service territory is expected to experience “elevated ambient temperatures combined with high humidity” from June 23 through June 25….