The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has received plaudits from the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) for deciding to start a new procedure to assess the system’s resiliency.
AWEA applauds FERC’s grid resiliency policy.
The Department of Energy started the Grid Reliability and Resilience Pricing process in September 2017. (DOE). It has recently announced the beginning of a new procedure to assess the robustness of the regional bulk electricity systems run by independent service providers and regional transmission organizations (RTOs) (ISOs). RTOs and ISOs must provide information to the Commission in the new process within 60 days, and the public will have 30 days to respond with comments.
FERC specifically asks the following information from each RTO/ISO: (1) comments on the proposed definition of “resilience;” (2) a description of how they evaluate resilience threats, including as accidents, lengthy fuel supply interruptions, and extreme weather occurrences; (3) a description of current or new market-based strategies RTOs/ISOs rely on to minimize resilience risks.
The statement sent by AWEA and other American energy organisations reads, “We are extremely delighted by the decision taken by FERC today.” “We look forward to discussing what resiliency of the electrical power system means and demands with FERC, DOE, and grid operators, and to showcasing the commitment of our businesses to guaranteeing dependable electricity for all.”
Advanced Energy Economy, the American Council on Renewable Energy, the American Petroleum Institute, the Electric Power Supply Association, the Energy Storage Association, the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America, the Natural Gas Supply Association, and the Solar Energy Industries Association are additional organizations that have joined AWEA in the statement.
According to Tom Kiernan, CEO of AWEA, “every American shares an interest in conserving and enhancing the US electrical grid, which propels our economy and keeps the lights on.” “We are heartened by FERC’s move because it acknowledges that no power plant retirements, whether recent or anticipated, pose a danger to system resiliency. This decision kicks off a detailed investigation into how to gauge the grid’s resilience and how FERC and the RTOs may use more market-based strategies to safeguard it. We particularly appreciate the FERC’s attention to the regulations, transmission planning, and standards established by the North American Energy Reliability Corporation in the wholesale electric market. All of those are essential to guaranteeing long-term grid resilience. The importance of wind power in enhancing the grid’s energy diversity cannot be overstated. Important grid services that increase our power supply’s dependability and resistance to extreme events can be provided by wind turbines. In order to determine the optimal route to the grid of the future, we look forward to continuing to collaborate with FERC, NERC, grid operators, and the Department of Energy.