Bulk power system
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Energy Security
FERC, NERC Reveal Disturbing Details from Winter Storm Elliott Inquiry
Incremental unplanned generation outages triggered during Winter Storm Elliott spiked to 90.5 GW—significantly more than the 61.8 GW during Winter Storm Uri in 2021—representing 13% of the U.S. portion of anticipated resources in the Eastern Interconnection. That finding, one of many disturbing details unveiled by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and North American Electric […]
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Energy Security
NERC Identifies Energy Policy as Key Risk to Grid Reliability Amid Evolving Challenges
The North American Reliability Corporation (NERC) will for the first time consider “energy policy” among five significant evolving and interdependent risks to grid reliability. In its latest biennial ERO Reliability Risk Priorities Report, the designated North American Electric Reliability Organization (ERO) identifies energy policy as a new risk priority alongside grid transformation, resilience to extreme […]
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Energy Security
Rethinking Energy Reliability with Modern Power Systems
As the energy transition to inverter-based resources continues, reliability risk increases and requires additional investment to mitigate threats. But what measures should be put in place, what are the
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Commentary
Industry Wants Clarity on Trump Order About Foreign Equipment
President Trump on May 1, 2020, issued Executive Order (EO) 13920, titled “Securing the United States Bulk-Power System.” Trump said that the unrestricted foreign supply of certain electric equipment
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COVID-19
NERC: Summer 2020 Reliability Rife With Unknowns
Despite COVID-19’s impact on power demand, disrupted pre-season generation preparation, and an expected highly active hurricane and wildfire season, industry appears well-positioned to meet peak demand this summer under anticipated weather in nearly all parts of the North American bulk power system (BPS). Other than in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), anticipated reserve […]
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Supply Chains
Trump Ban on Foreign Bulk Power Equipment Triggers New Uncertainty
Declaring a national emergency over threats to the U.S. bulk power system (BPS), President Trump in an executive order (EO) on May 1 issued a sweeping ban on transactions by U.S. persons for electric equipment sourced abroad if the U.S. government determines they pose undue security risks. Because foreign adversaries are “increasingly creating and exploiting […]
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Connected Plant
Cyber Breaches: Is Fear Misplaced?
The power sector’s terror of a debilitating cybersecurity attack is magnified seemingly every day as new vulnerabilities or destructive threat actors are identified. But according to several industrial
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Commentary
Reports of the Electric Grid’s Death Have Been Greatly Exaggerated
There have been numerous pronouncements recently about the upcoming demise of the bulk power grid as consumers are projected to move toward decentralized green energy sources. We don’t believe that the end
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Renewables
NERC: Unprecedented Changes to Power Mix, EPA Rules Pose Reliability Challenges
North America’s reserve margins are trending downward, even though electricity demand has generally fallen, the North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC) warned in a new report. The international regulatory authority established to gauge and improve the reliability of North America’s bulk power system (BPS) said in its annual long-term report that electricity demand has dropped […]
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Renewables
NERC: Integrating Variable Energy Will Require Shift on System Planning, Operations
Integrating large quantities of variable energy resources into the North American bulk power system will require fundamental electricity system planning and operational changes to ensure continued reliability, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) says in a new report that it prepared in collaboration with the California Independent System Operator Corporation (ISO). The assessment, “Maintaining Bulk-Power […]
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