ATLANTA – NERC’s 2020 Summer Reliability Assessment finds that projected resources are at or above the levels needed to satisfy summer peak demand under anticipated weather in nearly all assessment areas. However, the unprecedented coronavirus pandemic has led to heightened uncertainty in demand projections, has disrupted preparation (i.e., preventative maintenance, supply stocking and training) for the summer peak operating season and threatens the health and safety of critical industry workforce.
Although the pandemic introduces significant uncertainty into demand and some risk to generation resource availability, the Anticipated Reserve Margins, which were based on pre-pandemic demand forecasts and anticipated resources, indicate that the assessment areas are prepared to meet potential peak demand with or without pandemic-related demand reductions. Further, in its continuing outreach and coordination with system operations and Reliability Coordinators, NERC did not identify any specific threat or degradation to the reliable operation of the bulk power system for the spring time frame.
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