US Sees Record Cooling Energy Demand Amid Intense Heatwave

The United States has seen record-breaking energy demand for cooling in August due to intense heatwaves, setting historical highs. Experts predict this extreme heat will continue into September, potentially establishing new monthly records and placing significant strain on power grids. According to Matt Rogers, Chairman of Commodity Weather Group, the population-weighted "Cooling Degree Day" (CDD) index reached 376 in August, the highest in 76 years of historical data for the US. The period from June to August was also the seventh-hottest ever recorded in the country. Rogers further forecasts a "very hot autumn," with September on track to become the hottest September on record, potentially surpassing the 2019 record. Ryan Ward, an analyst at BloombergNEF, noted, "While autumn is here by the calendar, summer heat continues to blanket the central United States, keeping cooling demand and natural gas-fired power generation at high levels." This prolonged heatwave will continue to exert pressure on grid operators. Meteorologists define summer from June 1 to August 31. However, the persistent heat at the end of summer raises questions about whether September should still be considered a transitional month between summer and autumn, especially with the autumnal equinox falling on September 22 this year. Judah Cohen, Director of Seasonal Forecasting at JANUS Research Group, stated, "Given the strong warming trend, September should be classified as a summer month rather than just a transition." The population-weighted CDD index is a crucial measure for energy traders, grid operators, industries, and weather derivative markets, reflecting the energy needed to cool homes and businesses to 65°F (18°C). Applying population weighting focuses more on densely populated areas with higher energy consumption. Source: Nhan Dan