Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm visited Charlotte on Monday to address the need for strengthening the power grid against extreme weather conditions.

During the meeting, concerns were raised about the cost of such improvements and their impact on the public. Duke Energy's implementation of rolling outages last Christmas Eve due to overwhelming energy demand highlighted the urgency of grid hardening. Secretary Granholm emphasized the importance of upgrading the aging U.S. electric grid, which was largely built in the 1950s and is ill-equipped to handle present-day requirements. She stressed the need for proactive investments in grid resilience to ensure uninterrupted power supply during natural disasters.

When asked about the cost to customers, Secretary Granholm did not provide a specific figure but emphasized that the funds, estimated to be at least $4 billion over three years according to Duke Energy, should be allocated towards preventive measures rather than post-disaster cleanup. Additionally, in response to concerns about intentional attacks on the power grid, Granholm acknowledged the need for federal standards to enhance security measures within energy companies. While discussions on implementing such standards are underway, the Energy Department is actively collaborating with utilities to address these issues and make grid security a top priority.

Source: wsoctv.com