Let’s talk power plan reliability. For an assessment finds that energy from wind and solar rises by between 10 and 20 gigawatts over the next 15 years. All the while power from coal plants drops by as much as 27 gigawatts. For that’s as a result of the Environmental Protection Agencies (EPA) climate power plan shows reliability. That’s what a report concludes. (AP Photo/Seth Perlman, File)

From the Washington Examiner

By JOHN SICILIANO • 5/19/16 4:43 PM

The Obama administration’s climate rules for new power plants will cause coal plants to close more swiftly than without the regulations. That’s what the nation’s grid reliability watchdog said Thursday.

Let’s talk about real plans to make our power and the word reliability go hand in hand.

The North American Electric Reliability Corporation, or NERC, issued its latest analysis on the administration’s Clean Power Plan. For it’s examining the plan’s effects on the power grid. Moreover the need for regulators to most importantly keep the lights on.

Watchdog

The watchdog was sanctioned by Congress in 2005. All to be the nation’s technical adviser on electric reliability and author of enforceable standards for the industry. So basically their job is to make a plan where electric power is reliable.

NERC Assessment

“NERC’s assessment shows that significant changes to the resource mix are occurring regardless of the [Clean Power Plan], but that the CPP accelerates some of these changes, underscoring a potential reliability challenge,” said Thomas Coleman, director of NERC Reliability Assessment. Coleman is urging states to begin planning new transmission lines that will be needed to connect more renewables to the grid to replace the lost coal.

Grid Watchdog

Many people assume that being a grid watch dog is simply being an expert on the grid. Also it’s helping to keep it working better. The truth is far more complicated. Being an expert in the grid, or grid watchdog as we sometimes call it, involves more than just understanding how the grid works. It means being able to explain complex technical issues, even to those outside the power industry. It means being able to translate technical jargon into plain English.

More noteworthy, it often involves engaging in some form of advocacy. So that’s whether with local and regional officials or those at state and federal levels. I mean as well as working to ensure that the grid can be sustained through community engagement and civic participation. The GridWatchdog program is guided by the principles of community engagement and transparency. For they believe that open, ongoing dialogue with local communities is the key. Especially to creating resilient, sustainable communities and grids. The more we collaborate with community members to share their wisdom and best practices, the better we will be able to maintain the grid and adapt to a changing energy landscape. The GridWatchdog program was designed to encourage the development of a robust, community-based approach to grid resiliency.

Conclusion

Well, it is about time for another listening session to get more feedback from peo ple who use power grid. The second meeting will be on Wednesday, December 13 at 10:00 am in the Legislative Office Building, Room 331. Here’s the agenda:

For the entire story from the Washington Examiner