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A massive power transformer shortage is wreaking havoc in the US

Financial

Technology

A nationwide shortage of power grid transformers is causing delays across the US for everything from infrastructure for electric vehicles to new homes

By Jeremy Hsu

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11 March 2023

Electric power station with blue sky background

Transformers change the voltage of electrical currents

Shutterstock/style_TTT

Across the US, new houses sit unfinished – construction can’t be completed until they are connected to the electricity grid. Utility companies worry about how quickly they can restore power after damage caused by hurricanes and other natural disasters. And nationwide efforts to modernise ageing electrical grids face delays of months or even years.

All this is happening because of a national shortage of electrical distribution transformers. These devices convert the high-voltage electricity from power lines into lower voltages suitable for homes and businesses, …

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