The U.S. Electric Reliability Outlook and Policy Implications

Featuring

[Moderator] Devin Hartman, Policy Director, Energy and Environment, R Street Institute

Todd Snitchler, President and CEO, Electric Power Supply Association

Gordon van Welie, Former President and CEO, ISO New England

Beth Garza, Senior Fellow, Energy and Environment, R Street Institute

John Moura, Director, Reliability Assessment and System Analysis, North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC)

Overview

The U.S. economy is becoming more dependent on reliable power. Meanwhile, the country’s bulk electric system faces major supply constraints as demand growth rebounds. This challenges the outlook for a reliable power system, especially during extreme winter weather. New investment is necessary, yet Americans are concerned about energy affordability. This puts the onus on policymakers and power industry officials to find solutions that achieve reliability objectives at the lowest cost.

Topics Include:

• NERC’s “2025-2026 Winter Long-Term Reliability Assessment”
• Takeaways from R Street’s paper “Twelve Policy Priorities to Secure Bulk Electric Reliability”
• The role of markets, technologies, and policies in shaping reliable, least-cost outcomes 
• The status of natural gas-electric industry coordination and cold weather readiness