Power outages predicted in Iowa this summer due to demand

DES MOINES — An organization that evaluates the reliability of the nation’s electric grid says there’s a high risk of energy shortfalls in Iowa this summer.

The Des Moines Register reports the Iowa Utilities Board is urging the companies that provide electricity to Iowans to prepare customers for what may be ahead.

A non-profit that analyzes the North American power grid notes temperatures and drought conditions are predicted to be above normal this summer in the western half of the United States. That will drive up peak demand for electricity. The Electric Reliability Organization for North America warns there’s a high risk of power outages in Iowa and 14 other states over the summer months.