Evolving Resource Mix is Changing Reliability, Security and Resilience Landscape, Assessment Finds

ATLANTA – The 2020 Long-Term Reliability Assessment finds sufficient resource adequacy across most of North America and highlights reliability, security and resilience risk associated with the changing generation resource mix. In all but two areas, there is sufficient capacity to meet the electricity demand over the next 10 years. However, the addition of variable energy resources, primarily wind and solar, the continued growth of distributed energy resources (DER) and the retirement of conventional generation are fundamentally changing how the grid is planned and operated.

Even where system capacity is shown as sufficient, some areas demonstrate potential for inadequate energy to serve demand. Specifically, nearly all parts of the Western Interconnection, ERCOT and MISO show levels of increased risk over the next five years. The 2020 LTRA highlights the need for increased attention to planning and operating the grid in a more complex environment.

“As the system becomes more reliant on wind and solar generation, resource and energy adequacy must be assured, said Mark Olson, manager of Reliability Assessments. “The changing resource mix introduces greater variability, making long-term planning more complex. To meet this challenge, we need to create the necessary models, technology, and strategies to properly support future grid operators.

​Full Announcement | 2020 LTRA | 2020 LTRA Infographic

 
Posted On: 12/15/2020