Rolling Blackouts

What is a rolling blackout?

Rolling blackouts don’t happen by accident. They occur when the office in charge of a region’s power grid orders utilities to temporarily shut off power to some customers because there is not enough supply of electricity to meet the total energy demands

Could a rolling blackout happen in New Hampshire?

There has never been a rolling blackout ordered in New Hampshire or New England. A rolling blackout would only occur if the demand for electricity exceeded supply. Currently, and in the foreseeable future, New Hampshire has energy capacity that exceeds demand. But all electric utilities, including PSNH, have plans in place to cut power if ordered to do so. In New Hampshire, that order would come from New England ISO, Inc, the Independent Service Operator in charge of the New England Grid.

Why would rolling blackouts ever be necessary?

Your circuit breakers at home automatically cut power if you demand too much electricity from one circuit. In the same way, power may be temporarily cut in a regional ‘power grid’ if the demand for energy threatens to exceed supply. This would be most likely in a situation when demand is high and large power plants are unexpectedly shut down.