Energy questions unasked

In response to: “Inland Northwest protected, but not immune from power changes,” (Feb. 18):

Are local energy utility providers taking climate change into account? The progression of climate change due to the burning of fossil fuels means that more extreme and previously unlikely situations — such as the winter storm in Texas — are now more likely to occur.

The article on power outages in the Pacific Northwest does not describe whether and how local energy utilities are preparing for a variety of different extreme events, such as the possibility of simultaneous increased electricity demand in the summer due to extreme heat and declining supply due to a drop in snowpack from warming winters — or power outages as a result of wildfires.

The Spokesman-Review should interview researchers such as Dr. Sayanti Mukherjee, who found that energy utility providers in the United States underestimate changes in electricity demand because of climate change.

Power outages kill and we should be asking tough questions of our energy utility providers and policy makers.

Claire Richards

Spokane