North American Electric Reliability Corporation releases 2017 Long-Term Reliability Assessment

The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) recently released its 2017 Long-Term Reliability Assessment, which highlighted the importance of essential reliability services and fuel assurance.

These services, the study said, are key to successfully navigating a rapidly changing resource mix, meeting renewable policy goals and maintaining reliability and resilience in the bulk power system. The report highlighted the retirement of coal and nuclear facilities and the growth of natural gas and renewables.

“The accelerating move toward natural gas and renewables means the industry must adopt a more robust approach to planning the bulk power system so that it continues to be reliably operated,” John Moura, director of Reliability Assessment and System Analysis, said.

The assessment also found that NERC-wide growth in electricity demand is at its lowest rate on record.

The report recommended that NERC examine the adequacy of its requirements to address potential gaps in reliability and that all new resources should have the capability to support voltage and frequency. NERC also recommended that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) should support new market rules designed to maintain essential reliability services.

“NERC will work with the industry on a comprehensive review of Reliability Standards to ensure compatibility with the changing resource mix and adequate levels of essential reliability services, including frequency response and increased system flexibility,” Thomas Coleman, director of Reliability Assessment, said.