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Two-thirds of the U.S. is at risk of energy shortfalls this summer—and that share is only going to grow “[u]nless reliability and resilience are appropriately prioritized,” the North American Electric Reliability Corporation warned the Senate at a recent hearing, according to CBS Austin.

What’s going on: In most of the country, “there is the potential of running low on resources including electricity,” CBS reports. “The causes include an overwhelmed electric grid, the slowing use of fossil fuels like coal and natural gas to balance the use of the grid and new regulations like a lengthy permitting process that makes developing new energy take too long.”

• The NERC recently released its 2023 Summer Reliability Assessment, in which it details how, in the current push toward greater use of renewables, “the pace of change is overtaking the reliability needs of the [transmission grid] system,” NERC President and CEO James Robb told the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee last week.

​​​​​​​ Why it’s important: “The hearing comes as more and more Americans are expected to rely on electricity, even being rewarded by switching to electric cars,” according to CBS. “‘When electricity is unreliable, the potential consequences are catastrophic, including loss of human life,’ said Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., the committee chairperson.”

What can be done: NERC suggests a multipronged plan to shore up grid reliability. This includes:

• Better management of the “pace of change” to mix in more renewables and continued use of traditional energy;
• More natural gas infrastructure to make the grid more resilient; and
• Increased investment in energy storage technologies “and/or hydrogen production and delivery systems.”

​​​​​​​The last word: “Manufacturers rely on access to reliable and affordable energy to power their operations—so if the grid is unreliable, not only will manufacturers suffer, but American families will suffer, too,” said NAM Vice President of Energy and Resources Policy Brandon Farris.

• “The NAM supports an all-of-the-above energy approach that includes renewables, natural gas, nuclear, clean hydrogen and others, as well as efforts to shore up grid reliability.”
• “We must also continue to work on permitting reform to ensure we can build new energy projects in a timely manner and get them connected to a stable grid.”