An emergency order issued by the United States Department of Energy (DOE) under Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act. It allows the Secretary of Energy to temporarily order connections of facilities and the generation, delivery, or transmission of electricity to best meet an emergency caused by war, a sudden increase in demand, or a shortage of energy or facilities. These temporary orders can also exempt power plants from federal, state, or local environmental rules and have historically been used to prevent outages during severe weather events or supply shortfalls.
The mechanism for choosing the lowest cost energy option that meets energy needs, which gives cheaper renewable energy and battery storage an edge.
Measurement used to calculate how much an energy resource–such as a wind farm or solar array–contributes to the overall reliability of the grid. It assesses the resource’s ability to meet electricity demand, particularly during peak usage periods, and is especially useful for variable renewable energy sources whose output depends on factors like weather conditions.
Measures that reduce electricity use in a home or business. These measures include replacing inefficient heating and air conditioners with heat pumps, adding attic insulation, and sealing ducts and foundation, walls, roof, windows, and doors of buildings. It also includes replacing energy-intensive appliances with more efficient ones. These measures can provide energy savings, improve comfort, and increase property values.
Connecting new generation to the grid with minimal transmission upgrades and managing impacts through operational strategies rather than extensive upfront infrastructure investments. This approach, often referred to as “connect and manage,” prioritizes adding generation capacity quickly while relying on the grid operator to manage any resulting operational constraints. It requires new resources to risk curtailment (where the generator is asked to stop supplying power to the grid when supply is too high). The process has allowed Texas’ ERCOT to connect record numbers of new clean projects in the last several years significantly faster than other regions.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas serves as an independent system operator (ISO), managing the flow of electrical power over transmission infrastructure in the state of Texas.
A combination of automated and manual controls grid operators adjust to maintain grid reliability by ensuring a balance between supply (generation) and demand (load). They generally consist of three main aspects:
An independent agency that regulates the interstate transmission of natural gas, oil, and electricity. FERC also regulates natural gas and hydropower projects.
A United States law primarily regulating the interstate transmission and sale of electricity and the development of hydroelectric power. It was responsible for creating the body now known as FERC. It was created in 1920 and has been amended several times since.
Measures taken to ensure backup power, particularly of renewable energy, such as solar and wind generators. These requirements may require battery storage, ancillary services, or backup generation, such as an added gas plant to produce energy when a solar or wind plant does not.
Electricity is supplied to homes and businesses in the United States in the form of alternating current, and frequency is the rate at which an alternating current changes direction, as measured in hertz (Hz). Across the power grid there is a consistent frequency which in the United States is 60 Hz.
The ability of the grid to react to a change in
the frequency to bring it back to the normal operating frequency, which is 60 Hz in the United States
Historically refers to industrial facilities with high electrical demand. They had long interconnection timelines that allowed for more study time under traditional planning processes. Currently, emerging large loads include cryptocurrency mining, data centers (conventional and artificial intelligence), oil field loads, and hydrogen production facilities. Many have a shorter timeline to interconnect (months vs. years) to the grid. In addition to these rapid timelines, some emerging large loads introduce new challenges to grid operators like rapid demand fluctuations and increased voltage sensitivity.
The amount of power or electricity consumed by a device or system at a given time. It’s the demand placed on an energy source, like a power grid or a battery, by the connected electrical equipment.
The increase in the demand for electricity over time. It signifies the rising need for power from various sectors, including residential, commercial, and industrial, and can be driven by factors like population increases, economic development, and the adoption of new technologies like electric vehicles and data centers.
A controlled process where a utility company reduces or shuts off power supply to certain areas or customers to balance demand with available supply, preventing a complete system failure. It’s a last-resort measure to maintain grid stability when demand exceeds supply or when there are issues with power generation or transmission.
A way for wholesale electric energy prices to reflect the value of electric energy at different locations, accounting for the patterns of load, generation, and the physical limits of the transmission system.
Analysis is typically performed on a system to determine the amount of capacity that needs to be installed to meet the desired reliability target, commonly expressed as an expected value, or LOLE of 0.1 days/year.
(see: Interconnection Queue)
