- Long-Term Reliability Assessment Shows Need for Fuel Diversity, Continued Grid Investment
- Policymakers Must Act Now to Avert Potentially Dangerous Consequences
HOUSTON – The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) released its Long-Term Reliability Assessment this week showing that the outlook for the North American bulk power system is only getting worse, which Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA) warned is a critical signal for policymakers to heed to protect American families and small businesses.
NERC, which oversees the North American power grid, found that 13 of 23 areas it assesses will have inadequate power to meet demand over the next decade.
“NERC’s report is the latest in a string of red alerts it has been sounding over the state of America’s power grid, and further proof that the country desperately needs new energy resources to ensure reliable, affordable energy for American families and businesses,” CEA President David Holt said. “In many states, policymakers are actively working to limit the mix of energy resources available and citizens are seeing higher prices and less reliable energy. The focus of every policymaker right now should be on creating policies that support affordability and reliability, which starts with embracing all forms of energy.”
The NERC assessment noted several areas serving tens of millions of Americans which are at high risk in the next five years, including MISO, PJM, ERCOT and portions of the Pacific Northwest. This is due to the premature retirement of reliable baseload generation and the integration of weather-dependent energy sources that cannot provide power continuously.
“We must act now to remove regulatory red tape and prevent the unthinkable,” Holt said. “American families and small businesses cannot wait to find out what will happen in five years, and we have been warned now for several years that we could face catastrophic outages and even loss of life. It is well past time to treat energy as the non-partisan, essential matter it is and build the critical infrastructure we need to keep the lights and heat on.”
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About Consumer Energy Alliance
Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA) is the trusted voice advocating for affordable, reliable, and cleaner energy solutions that benefit all Americans. Representing families, farmers, small businesses, distributors, producers, and manufacturers, CEA champions sensible, balanced policies that support economic growth and environmental resiliency; and ensures families and businesses are a vocal part of the nation’s energy dialogue. Every day, we work to inspire practical, responsible solutions that meet America’s energy needs while protecting the environment for generations to come.
Contact:
Bryson Hull
(202) 657-2855
bhull@consumerenergyalliance.org