A whole suite of new technologies is headed for the electric space in an Electron Renaissance. Within the next decade, these new technologies will begin to be felt —some with major impact.

The warnings have been issued. The numbers are in. There is trouble ahead for the U.S. electricity supply system, and the fixes may take years.Willie Phillips, chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, said, “Our country is facing an unprecedented surge in demand for affordable electricity while confronting extreme weather threats to the reliability of our grid, and trying to stay one step ahead of massive technological changes we are seeing in our society.”

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.