How can the Southern power grid handle months of blistering heat with everyone blasting air conditioners, but can’t handle two days below freezing?

Question

How can the Southern power grid handle months of blistering heat with everyone blasting air conditioners, but can’t handle two days below freezing?

In: 1150

Answer 1

Because lots of people use ceiling fans, desk fans, box fans, etc. in addition to air conditioners during the summer. The only real solution to warming things up is a heater – whether a small space heater or central heat. Heaters consume far more power. Plus if it’s 100 outside, most folks only need to cool to 80 or 70 to be adequately comfortable. If it’s 0 outside like it is around the country right now, it takes a LOT more power to heat you back up to 70 than it does to bring you down to 70-80.