Regulation Is to Blame for Our Grid Reliability Woes

Summer is here, and balmy weather has induced blistering debate over electric grid reliability. Recent reports from the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) and grid operators flag elevated reliability risks in the months ahead. But press coverage would lead you to believe that blackouts are imminent and the primary culprit is global warming or the green policy agenda, depending on the orientation of the outlet. Rather, blackouts remain unlikely, and the main reliability threat is outmoded regulation that suppresses market forces.