Fossil Fuels Saved Countless Lives During Massive Winter Storm

January 3, 2023

At the end of 2022, the northeast was hit with a massive winter storm. Extreme temperature drops, huge snow totals, and power shortages stole the headlines, but we have fossil fuels and the workers that bring them to us to thank for lives saved during the storm.

The Wall Street Journal editorial board writes, “Winter often means bitter cold, and reliable heating means the difference between life and death. This is something Americans have long taken for granted, but some relatively mild recent winters in North America may have led to public complacency. In the last week the fossil fuels despised by the climate lobby have saved the electrical grid and many lives.”

When renewable energy sources could not meet the increased demand during the powerful storm, grid operators turned to fossil energy.  Daily Caller reports, “When the cyclone, dubbed ‘Storm Elliott,’ caused blizzards in New England on Dec. 24, New England grid operator ISO NE declared an energy emergency level 1 due to potential power shortages and called on its customers to voluntarily cut energy consumption. That same day, renewables across the region’s grid accounted for just 6% of the region’s energy mix, while fuel oil and natural gas produced over 55% of the region’s power, according to Bloomberg.”

Tragically, there were dozens of people who did lose their lives in this terrible storm, but it’s also important to recognize the lives that were spared because of reliable and affordable American fossil energy. In 2023, and every year, Power The Future is grateful for these energy sources and the people they help keep safe.