This week, the nation is getting a jarring reminder that extreme weather can imperil the infrastructure that provides our basic needs.

In California, a record-shattering heat wave is pushing the power grid to its limit. In Jackson, Miss., more than 150,000 people are still suffering from the impacts of torrential rainfall that left most of the city without running water.

Climate change is worsening such disasters, threatening basic necessities many take for granted. Heat waves are fueled by increasing temperatures, warmer oceans and drier soils — and when they hit, the grid struggles to keep up.

The link between a warming planet and flooding is more complex, but scientists say it's clear that as sea levels rise, flooding will increasingly threaten vulnerable infrastructure.

Flash floods, which are unexpected and particularly destructive, will also get shorter but bigger, as warmer temperatures cause evaporation that increases moisture in the atmosphere.

Those with the fewest resources are hit the hardest.

Today, California is bracing for potential rolling blackouts, as temperatures smash previously held records (Sacramento, for example, could hit an all-time high of 115 degrees Fahrenheit).

The need for cooling sends energy demand soaring beyond what the state's grid can handle, a problem that has triggered repeated calls for residents to keep their thermostats at or above a balmy 78 degrees.

At least 1,300 people die a year in the U.S. due to extreme heat — the largest weather-related killer in the country — though research suggests those numbers are likely undercounted.

In addition to directly causing dehydration or heat stroke, extreme heat can also exacerbate underlying health problems, further imperiling the most vulnerable. People without access to consistent housing or air conditioning are also disproportionately affected.

In Jackson, water pressure has been restored after heavy rains and flooding hit an already-damaged water treatment plant, leaving residents without enough water to brush their teeth or flush the toilet for days. Residents remain under a boil-water advisory, and officials are not sure when the water will be safe to drink.

The crisis comes after years of neglect and deferred maintenance of large water systems in Black and low-income communities, a predicament all too familiar for many across the United States, writes reporter Hannah Northey.

President Joe Biden has pledged to funnel money into cities like Jackson that have faced decades of disproportionate pollution and inequity.

But residents and advocates say Democratic-controlled Jackson is merely the latest majority-Black city struggling to secure its fair share of spending in Republican-dominated states, writes reporter Zack Colman.

It's Tuesday — thank you for tuning in to POLITICO's Power Switch. I'm your host, Arianna Skibell. Power Switch is brought to you by the journalists behind E&E News and POLITICO Energy. Send your tips, comments, questions to [email protected]

Today in POLITICO Energy's podcast: Josh Siegel breaks down why Democrats and their allies are so divided over a proposal to speed federal infrastructure permits.

Keeping the government open
Lawmakers are gearing up to negotiate a major spending bill needed to avert a government shutdown, writes George Cahlink.

One of the likely sticking points is a giant pot of money requested by the White House to address the ongoing energy crisis and to respond to climate-fueled natural disasters.

Reality check
As the nation continues its clean energy transition, political and nature-based obstacles are highlighting just how difficult change can be.

In Maine, an embattled transmission line is testing whether the U.S. can build the electricity infrastructure needed to slash climate pollution, writes Benjamin Storrow.

And in the Midwest, a battle over the role of natural gas is embroiling the region, writes Jeffrey Tomich.

Energy crisis deliberations
European leaders are fighting to contain an energy crisis that is driving economic turmoil across the region and dumping huge costs onto millions of consumers and businesses, write Clea Caulcutt and America Hernandez.

France has proposed an EU-wide price cap on Russian gas and a windfall tax on excess energy profits as a way to rein in sky-high energy costs.

The battle for 'Cop City': A band of environmentalists and anarchists has taken up residence in Atlanta's South River Forest in an attempt to stop the city from bulldozing 125 acres that have been set aside for a police-training complex and sound-stage for the film industry.

Flood map madness: Your home may be in a flood zone, even if it's not on a FEMA flood map. Here's why.

The science, policy and politics driving the energy transition can feel miles away. But we're all affected on an individual and communal level — from hotter days and higher gas prices to home insurance rates and food supply.

Want to know more? Send me your questions and I'll get you answers.

A showcase of some of our best subscriber content.

Lawmakers have returned to Capitol Hill, where they will hunker down on a full energy agenda. Here's the breakdown.

A U.S. company best known for shipping wood pellets to energy producers in Europe has reached a deal to turn some of its forest products into aviation fuel.

For the second time this summer, a federal court has affirmed the Biden administration's pause on oil and gas leasing on public lands.

That's it for today, folks! Thanks for reading.