there. but along with that view comes a lot of problems. here's t.j. holmes. >> reporter: small towns are turning into boomtowns as millions flock to rural america to catch a glimpse of the rare solar eclipse. when the skies darken across the united states, electric companies will face a massive challenge, how to avoid core disruptions and a post-eclipse surge that could cripple the nation. grid operators are urgently transporting energy across the country to prepare for the temporary shortfall in solar depleted regions, between those hours, the moon will totally obscure the sun in 14 states. it's similar to the effect of shutting down 15 power plants at once. in california, officials are urging residents to unplug and conserve energy use, saying, quote, let's give our hard-working sun a break. north carolina in the prime path ranks number two in the country for solar power. >> we want to make sure we have our power plants in reserve that