Seattle Tacoma, WA, July 21, 2026 —

A regional electric grid operator has issued a warning indicating that 14 states in the central United States could experience rolling blackouts. This potential disruption to power supply is attributed to a severe heat wave that is significantly increasing electricity demand across the region.

The grid operator, whose name was not provided in the summary, has alerted authorities and the public to the possibility of controlled power outages. These rolling blackouts are a measure taken to prevent widespread grid failure when demand for electricity exceeds the available supply. The primary driver for this surge in demand is the prolonged period of high temperatures, which leads to increased use of air conditioning systems.

The specific states affected by this warning include:

  • [State 1]
  • [State 2]
  • [State 3]
  • [State 4]
  • [State 5]
  • [State 6]
  • [State 7]
  • [State 8]
  • [State 9]
  • [State 10]
  • [State 11]
  • [State 12]
  • [State 13]
  • [State 14]

The timeline for when these blackouts might occur was not specified. The operator has not released details on the exact capacity shortfall expected or the duration of potential outages.

Officials are urging residents in the affected areas to conserve electricity where possible to help mitigate the strain on the grid. Conservation measures may include reducing the use of non-essential appliances and adjusting thermostat settings. Further information regarding specific conservation advisories or the activation of rolling blackouts is expected from the grid operator as the situation develops.



Story summarized from the original created by Mark.Richardson@fox.com (Mark Richardson) on www.fox13seattle.com, see more information here.

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