ARLINGTON, Va. – National Rural Electric Cooperative Association CEO Jim Matheson today issued the following statement on the North American Electric Reliability Corporation’s 2025 Long-Term Reliability Assessment:
“Today’s report is yet another stark warning about the intensifying reliability risks facing America’s electric grid,” Matheson said. “This report clearly highlights the need for smart, swift actions and serious conversations about how we will meet tomorrow’s energy needs as a country. Reliable and affordable electricity is the cornerstone of America’s national security and our economy. As electricity demand skyrockets, we urge policymakers to continue working with electric cooperatives to prioritize grid reliability and pursue smart energy policies that help set our nation on a more stable path.”
NERC serves as the nation’s grid watchdog. Its new report forecasts significantly increased risks to reliability over the next five years. The report shows nearly half of the country at high risk of energy shortfalls and rolling blackouts between now and 2030.
Two primary factors contribute to this forecast: the growth in electricity demand from data centers and the continued retirement of always-available energy resources. NERC forecasts the loss of nearly 100 GW of always-available generation in coming years, enough energy to power up to 100 million homes.
The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association is the national trade association representing nearly 900 local electric cooperatives. From growing suburbs to remote farming communities, electric co-ops serve as engines of economic development for 42 million Americans across 56 percent of the nation’s landscape. As local businesses built by the consumers they serve, electric cooperatives have meaningful ties to rural America and invest $15 billion annually in their communities.
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