Electric Power Supply Association urges coordination to ensure reliability
The Electric Power Supply Association (EPSA) offered feedback on recommendations made recently by the North American Energy Standards Board (NAESB) to ensure reliable electricity service.
In its comments, EPSA emphasized that demand for both electricity and natural gas, and the interdependence between the two sectors, is expected to rise. This is particularly true during periods of extreme weather and other critical periods. EPSA said that market-based solutions will provide the best foundation to signal additional developments or reforms that can address emerging concerns impacting electric reliability.
“Natural gas has been and will continue to be the critical fuel to power reliable electric generation that can be accessed on a 24/7 basis and support a decarbonized economy and growing amounts of intermittent renewable resources. Increased electrification of the economy, from transportation to home appliances to commercial buildings to industry, will only further drive demand for electric power, along with changing weather patterns and periods of extreme heat and cold that have stressed the grid in recent years,” EPSA President and CEO Todd Snitchler said.
Snitchler added resolving the pain points between the gas and electric sectors will become more essential than ever to meet the nation’s power needs.
“EPSA and our members have been deeply engaged in ongoing efforts to address gas-electric coordination, improve reliability, and help ensure that consumers and our critical services have access to cost-effective, reliable power at all times. We are optimistic that improvements will be made and hope our recommendations will provide constructive insight to develop durable solutions to this urgent issue,” he said.
EPSA is an organization that represents competitive power suppliers, which provide about 150,000 MW of power generation capacity from all types of resources.
