NERC issues summer grid assessment as demand rises

As electricity demand continues to rise and the resource mix changes, the North American grid is being called on to adapt in real time.

NERC’s 2026 Summer Reliability Assessment finds that record resource additions have strengthened readiness for the summer season, even as elevated risks remain in some areas. All areas are projected to have adequate resources for normal summer conditions due in part to the large expansion of bulk power system resource additions, including a substantial influx of solar and battery and some new natural gas-fired generators over the past year.

Despite the improved outlook, the assessment identifies ongoing challenges that could strain the grid this summer, NERC said. Accelerated demand, rapid growth of large loads, periods of low wind output and the overlap of early summer heat with maintenance outages may challenge reliability.

Read more at NERC