PATH will reinforce our entire region’s grid system. We are impacted every day by
electric transmission. A reliable supply of electricity is fundamental to our quality
of life. Imagine that it is a hot day in July and customer demand is at its peak
– the grid is operating at full capacity. Then something happens to cause a piece
of the grid to fail somewhere in our region. The system is designed so that if a
section fails, the one nearest to it picks up the increased load. However, that
section is already at capacity and can’t handle the increased load, so it also fails. A domino effect can occur, causing brownouts and blackouts. Our region is not immune
to this scenario. PATH is about reinforcing our entire region’s reliability because
our section of the grid can’t handle additional strain. We will become vulnerable
to power outages right here in our communities, and we can’t afford to wait.