Advancing Equity Through Grid Modernization April 28, 2021, 9:07 am Although the U.S. power grid was built throughout the 20th century, much of the physical infrastructure still in place today dates back to the 1950s and 1960s. As a result, the United States now experiences more blackouts than any other developed country, with electric companies reporting more than 2,500 major outages since 2002. Decades of chronic underinvestment in grid infrastructure have resulted in an outdated, inefficient, and unreliable power system—one that disproportionately affects low-income communities and communities of color. Related The consequences of the country’s aging power grid continue to make headlines and are being exacerbated by climate change. In 2019, the California Camp Fire—the most destructive fire in the state’s history, responsible for killing 85 people—was ignited by a faulty transmission line. Just this past February, winter storms led to more than 4.5 million homes in Texas losing power—some for several days—and 111 deaths, despite previous warnings that equipment needed to be weatherized.