Resources, Sierra Pacific Resources and Xcel Energy, representing nearly 20 million customers in 22 states, have also committed to the creation of a national institute for electric efficiency to develop regulatory models and convene supporting conferences in the power ■ sector. This institute would be formed within the Edison Electric Institute, which represents the nation’s investor-owned electric utilities.

“We are at the stage where emergency situations are becoming more frequent,” said Rick Sergel, president and CEO of NERC. “Though some improvements have been made, we are requiring our aging grid to bear more and more strain, and are operating the system at or near its limits more often than ever before.”

Specific reliability findings, as detailed in the report, include:

The challenges of integrating new wind, solar and nuclear generation resources into the bulk power system.

■ Concern for capacity margins.

■ Projected transmission additions that lag demand growth and new generation additions in most areas.

■ The aging workforce.

■ Natural gas reliance as a fuel for electricity generation in Florida, Texas, the Northeast and Southern California.

The 2007 Long-Term

Reliability Assessment analyzes the adequacy of the North American bulk power system through 2016 and calls for actions to improve reliability. The report is available at www.nerc.com.

Visit www.elp.com for utility news—updated daily!

North American Electricity Demand Continues to Outpace
Resource Growth; Reliability Concerns Remain
Electricity usage in the United States is projected to grow more than
twice as fast as committed resources over the next 10 years, the
North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) announced
in its 2007 Long-Term Reliability Assessment. Unless additional
resources are brought into service, some areas could fall below their
target capacity margins within two or three years. In parts of western
Canada, demand is projected to outpace resource growth within
about two years.

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