Impacts on the U.S. Power Grid from the Iran War || May 12, 2026
The U.S. is relatively insulated from the conflict in Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, since it's a net exporter of nearly every major energy source. Most other countries aren't so lucky...
However, there are plenty of indirect risks for the U.S. Global energy shortages could spike commodity prices (like coal) and disrupt supply chains; this would affect key U.S. imports like aluminum, copper, and transformers.
So, the U.S. power grid is likely safe in the near-term, but secondary effects on infrastructure and manufacturing could complicate things down the line.
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Comments (23)
I’ve left this comment before, but what happens when the refineries in the US that are set up for heavy sour crude don’t have any feedstock, since the oil production from fracking are light sweet?
What happens to all the refineries that are set up for heavy sour crude?
Peter, you're losing it! One whole video without a negative TDS comment? Maybe you're receiving therapy or a new drug from TrumpRX?
It would be nice to have an article on the clowns and fools of wall street. "trump farts - market goes up", "trump drools, market collapses", "trump lies , market could go either way". Imagine having your 401K in the hands of these idiots.
What about attacks on our Emery gird through the internet or sabotage?
It's a good idea to do a personal energy audit. My California home is natural gas (from Rocky Mountain states) & electricity (100% renewable mix). My bill hasn't changed at all. I don't strictly need to heat or cool my home so it's not existential. I'm thinking about upgrading to heat pump water heater while there still are incentives that cover the cost. Although I have anxiety about an all electric home. I still drive an gas powered car (gasp) so that has stung. The jet fuel crisis could really hurt us, so I locked in tickets for summer vacation. We eat Jasmine rice (Thailand sourced) so I stocked up on that. There's only so much you can do as an individual.
Peter, is there any plan for Russia/China to build pipelines from the Siberian oil fields directly to China. Seems the right way for them go.
I love good news!
Still, if energy is scarce on an international scale, prices go up for Americans because of the global arbitrage. That is a direct and somewhat immediate effect.
Here is link: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/12/opinion/trump-is-fighting-the-worlds-stupidest-culture-war.html?smid=em-share
This is all well and good. But, see the real impacts on US consumers: Trump Is Fighting the World’s Stupidest Culture War by Thomas B. Edsall, New York Times Guest Essay, published May 12, 2026, 5:03 a.m. ET
I would prefer more immediate impacts on the US to push the average citizen of this country to wake up to the horrific impact this administration is having on the world.
Hoping for the suffering of your fellow citizens to align them with your worldview is a problematic posture.
There's an argument to be made that the longer the strait is closed, the more damage is done to Gulf neighbors, the more Shadow fleet tankers are commandeered, the more the US benefits long-term. Trump has definitely lost the midterms (though redistricting might mitigate the impact to a degree), but a hobbled Russia that becomes codependent again with Europe and India for its survival, and China reliant on US crude exports for the same wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.
Have the midterms happened yet or are you just warming your hands over your polymarket bets?
Not sure why Iran would have to do to damage to the American electrical grid, it would appear that the data centers will cause rolling blackouts.
When the Zeihan signals good news and it is snowing in May, that means 10 more weeks of bad news. Kinda like a GeoPolitical Hedgehog
*groundhog
At the expense of the rest of the world. Cool, well done America. USA USA USA
Direct Impact - Iran hacking the USA grid
I guess this means six more weeks of bad news from Peter.
Do you want it any other way?
BRB, gotta go throw invoices at my main slumdog Coalie, if that dude getting rich, he owes me and a number of Captagon importers some serious Dinar. Remember, Dont do Cocaine!