"Preparing for the 2024 Solar Eclipse: Impact on Solar Panels, Grid, and Viewing Locations"

The upcoming solar eclipse on April 8 will have a significant impact on solar power generation and the electrical grid, with the potential for reduced solar generation and the need to ramp up other power sources to cover the temporary loss of solar power. While the eclipse will only last for 4 minutes in any one place, the broader impacts and the transition in and out of the eclipse could last several hours, affecting the entire United States to varying degrees. However, utilities have experience in handling such events, and if all goes according to plan, electric consumers shouldn't notice any disruptions.