{
  "id": 4753073,
  "title": "Sacramento should save the program that is saving the grid",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/01/sacramento-should-save-the-program-that-is-saving-the-grid-4753073",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-01T01:02:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/opinion/20260901/sacramento-should-save-the-program-that-is-saving-the-grid"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Sacramento must preserve the Demand Side Grid Support program, a scheme that is currently aiding California's power grid. The program's success has been so impressive that it should be seen as a template for the rest of the United States. The program's importance becomes clear when considering the factors that strain the grid. During extreme heat waves, like the one currently affecting Southern California, residents turn on their air conditioning to stay cool. This surge in air conditioning usage leads to a significant increase in electricity consumption.\n\nPower plants, known as \"peakers,\" come online to generate additional electricity during peak demand periods. These peaker plants are more costly to operate compared to other power sources, which drives up electricity prices. The program's primary objective is to address this surge in demand through innovative methods. By managing electricity demand, the program helps maintain grid stability and prevent power outages during extreme weather events.",
  "summary": "Your power bill is too high. Electricity prices have risen by as much as 40% since 2020, far outpacing overall inflation. And after decades of nearly flat growth in energy consumption, data centers are driving up grid demand for the first time in roughly 35 years. Then heat waves, like the one currently cooking Southern California, push the whole system to the edge. That’s why In 2022, California…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Sacramento should save the program that is saving the grid",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/01/sacramento-should-save-the-program-that-is-saving-the-grid",
        "published": "2026-09-01T00:22:03.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}