Energy Dept. working on smart appliances to avoid blackouts

At this time of year, we not-so-fondly recall the East Coast blackout of two summers ago, when we were forced to find out which of our devices really met their advertised battery lives, and discovered that, short of a gas-powered generator, we weren't going to get any air conditioning on. So,
we're pretty glad to hear that the Department of Energy is working with energy companies and manufacturers on new standards for home appliances that will cause them to automatically shut off if the grid is overtaxed; as part of the project, participants in a test in Oregon and Washington state will get smart dryers and water-heater controls. The idea is that high-drain appliances like dryers and water heaters will cut off, reducing stress on the grid and —
hopefully — averting a full-on blackout. Unfortunately, air conditioners also fall into that high-drain category, so if the grid gets hit, we may be able to keep our lights and computer on, but we'll be working up a sweat doing it.