Grid stability is an environmental justice issue

In brief

The article argues that grid stability is an environmental justice issue because unreliable electricity, high utility bills, ageing infrastructure and climate-related disasters disproportionately affect lower-income and pollution-burdened communities. Drawing on her experience in Chicago’s Little Village neighbourhood, environmental justice advocate Melanie Minuche explains that grid-planning decisions influence household energy security, public health, resilience during extreme weather and access to cleaner technologies. She participated in an Illinois Commerce Commission proceeding to ensure that residents’ experiences and priorities were represented in ComEd’s infrastructure planning.

A stronger grid is particularly important for electrifying freight transport in communities exposed to heavy diesel-truck traffic, which contributes to asthma and other respiratory illnesses. Electric trucks and buses can reduce local air pollution, but they require sufficient charging infrastructure and grid capacity. The article therefore calls for utilities, regulators and policymakers to make proactive upgrades before demand rises and to involve affected communities meaningfully in investment decisions. Without such participation, projects may bypass the areas that need them most or raise electricity costs without delivering clear benefits.

Source: EDF

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