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.
A non-profit organization that represents state public service commissions, which regulate essential utility services like energy, telecommunications, and water. Its stated aim is to improve the quality and effectiveness of public utility regulation. It has eight committees:
It also has a task force focused on Innovation.
Non-profit organization that operates to assure the effective and efficient reduction of risks to the reliability and security of the grid. It oversees six regional reliability entities and encompasses all of the interconnected power systems of Canada and the contiguous United States, as well as a portion of the Mexican state of Baja California. Its responsibilities include working with all stakeholders to develop standards for power system operation, monitoring and enforcing compliance with those standards, assessing resource adequacy, and providing educational and training resources as part of an accreditation program. NERC also investigates and analyzes the causes of significant power system disturbances in order to help prevent future events and produces reports about the near and long-term reliability forecast.
A document used by government agencies to announce a potential new rule or amendment to an existing one. This is an official part of the law-making process, allowing public comment before the rule is finalized. The acronym is frequently used by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).
A government-owned, contractor-operated facility, funded and overseen by the United States Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). It specializes in the research and development of renewable energy, energy efficiency, energy systems integration, and sustainable transportation.
New York ISO
(see: Interconnection Queue)
Power that does not perform useful work but is used to establish and maintain electromagnetic fields that are needed to generate, transmit, and convert electric power in the alternating current network. A shortage of reactive power can cause voltage to decline. (See also: voltage support)
A characteristic of the whole electricity system to describe its ability to consistently deliver electricity to consumers without interruption, even through grid disturbances. Reliability comes down to having sufficient generating resources to meet demand and a functional operational grid system.
An agreement initiated by an RTO or ISO with a power plant, keeping it in operation temporarily for reliability purposes.
The ability of the grid to ride through extreme events, recover quickly, and support other critical systems (e.g., transportation, health care, public safety etc.).
An assessment of whether the current or projected resource mix is sufficient to meet capacity and energy needs for a particular grid. The resource mix includes all resources able to provide capacity and energy to the system. Adequacy assessments are used to identify potential shortfalls in the availability of resources across different time frames; from long-term planning (5 to 20+ years) to seasonal and day-ahead assessments.
(see also: ISO) – A non-profit organization that manages the electricity transmission system in a specific region, ensuring reliable and efficient electricity delivery. RTOs operate the high-voltage electricity grid, facilitating the movement of power from generating plants to substations and ultimately to consumers. They also oversee competitive wholesale electricity markets.
A network of distributed energy resources—like rooftop solar panels, electric vehicle chargers, and smart water heaters—that work together to balance energy supply and demand on a large scale. They are usually run by local utility companies that oversee this balancing act.
Often described as the “pressure” that pushes electric current through a circuit. It’s measured in volts (V) and is essentially the energy per unit charge. Think of it like water pressure: the higher the voltage, the greater the “push” on electrons, and the more current can flow.
Maintaining stable voltage on the grid is critical to keeping the lights on and avoiding equipment damage. Voltage is not consistent across the grid, though it is locally constant, with higher voltages used for longer transmission lines and lower voltages used at the distribution level.
