WASHINGTON, D.C.: Parts of the U.S. and Canada may not have enough electricity this summer if hot weather causes more people to use power, the group that oversees the electric grid warned this week.

Electricity use has increased by 10 gigawatts since last summer—more than double the previous year's growth—according to the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC). This rise comes as older coal and gas power plants are closing and more solar power is being added.

At the same time, electricity use is increasing due to the growing number of data centers, factories, and electric cars and trucks. The power grid is also changing, moving from steady power sources like coal and nuclear to renewable sources like wind and solar, which don't produce electricity all the time.

This shift makes it harder to maintain a reliable grid, especially during the summer when air conditioners consume a significant amount of energy. NERC stated that Texas could face problems in the early evening when people use more power, but solar panels stop generating energy as the sun sets.

In other areas, such as the Southwest Power Pool (encompassing states like Montana, New Mexico, and Nebraska), low wind could disrupt the balance of supply and demand. The Midwest grid operator MISO may also struggle after shutting down over 1,500 megawatts of coal and gas power since last year.

Even New England faces higher risks of power shortages.

In total, more than seven gigawatts of fossil fuel power has been retired across North America since last summer, while 30 gigawatts of solar and 13 gigawatts of battery storage have been added.

The U.S. and Canada will need to add new transmission lines and power supplies to keep up with demand and rising temperatures, thereby avoiding shortfalls in the summer months, said John Moura, who leads NERC's reliability assessment and system analysis.

"As demand grows, we've got to build infrastructure," Moura said.