NERC Warns Long-Term Grid Reliability Risks Mounting from Surging Demand, Lagging Resources
Key Takeaway
The escalating demand from data centers and AI, coupled with insufficient new resource development, creates a critical reliability challenge for the North American grid, demanding immediate action from developers and posing significant risks for large power consumers.
AI Summary
- •The North American grid faces intensifying reliability risks from 2026-2035, primarily due to surging demand driven by data centers and artificial intelligence.
- •Resource additions (generation and potentially transmission) are lagging significantly behind this demand growth, creating a critical resource adequacy challenge.
- •This situation signals potential grid instability and higher energy costs for large power consumers, while simultaneously presenting urgent development opportunities for new generation and grid infrastructure.
- •The 2025 Long-Term Reliability Assessment (LTRA) by NERC highlights the need for accelerated development and streamlined interconnection of new resources.
Topics
Article Content
The North American electric grid faces intensifying reliability risks over the next decade as demand growth driven by data centers and artificial intelligence threatens to outpace resource additions, according to the 2025 Long-Term Reliability Assessment (LTRA) released Jan. 29 by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC). The assessment, which covers 2026 to 2035 and […] The post NERC Warns Long-Term Grid Reliability Risks Mounting from Surging Demand, Lagging Resources appeared first on POWER Magazine .