What do you know about the US power grid?

You can dig into as much detail as you want, but it really boils down to 10 things to know about the U.S. power grid—and they might surprise you. The U.S. grid is very reliable. The average U.S. customer loses power less than two times per year for a total of less than five hours, which represents 99.95% reliability.

What is the power grid & how does it work?

A vast network of power plants, transmission lines, and distribution centers together make up the U.S. electric grid. The grid constantly balances the supply and demand for the energy that powers everything from industry to household appliances.

What is included in the power grid package?

The package includes fact sheets on reliability of the current power grid, causes of the recent major blackouts and what is being done in response, and maintaining a reliable future grid. We also developed additional background information on the fundamentals of power grid reliability and clean electricity.

Does the power grid ever lose power?

The power grid in the United States almost never loses power due to insufficient generation. We almost always have enough generation capacity to meet demand on the hottest days and coldest nights—and with capacity to spare.

Should utilities invest in a compact electric grid?

Utilities have previously used simple and well-understood compacts to justify their grid investments: in exchange for building a reliable electric grid, utilities’ stakeholders would approve their projects and guarantee a return on the capital invested.

How can a two-way electric grid be managed?

While grid planners, control-center operators, and engineers face significant challenges in managing the complexity of the two-way electric grid, they can take advantage of new capabilities to support grid operations, such as smart inverter control and vehicle-to-grid and managed charging.