Utility resilience is a life-and-death matter in extreme cold and heat this year. Last year was a rough one for utilities, and they made it through with planning, technical expertise and collaborations. Heat hung over most of the country and Phoenix hit 110 degrees Fahrenheit on 54 days, setting another record.

What appears to be a perfect storm is forming over the nation’s electricity supply.

This winter may be the first test, and what happens next summer and going forward has many in the industry voicing considerable alarm, including talk of a new energy crisis of indefinite duration.