September 7, 2005—The North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC) has issued its 2005 Long-Term Reliability Assessment. The report assesses long-term electricity supply and demand and transmission reliability in North America through 2014, and discusses key issues and trends affecting the reliability of future electric supplies and transmission systems.
“Resources are expected to be adequate to meet customer demand throughout North America over the next five years, provided new generating facilities are constructed as anticipated and NERC reliability rules are followed,” said Michehl R. Gent, NERC President and CEO.
“Hurricane Katrina has dealt a terrible blow to the people and infrastructure of the Gulf States, and utilities in the region are struggling to assess the damage and restore service. NERC will assess any reliability impacts resulting from damage to equipment and fuel supply interruptions as part of its upcoming winter assessment,” Gent added.
According to the report, electricity demand is expected to grow by about 69,500 MW between 2005 and 2009. Projected resource additions over this same period total about 49,000 MW, depending upon the number of merchant plants assumed to be in service. Resource adequacy in the longer term is more uncertain. More than 12,400 miles of new transmission are proposed to be added over the 20052014 time frame. This represents a 5.9 percent increase in the total amount of installed transmission over the assessment time frame.
The ten-year assessment is available online.
