INSIGHTSSERIES
Power & Utilities | Smart Grid
November 24, 2025
U.S. Grid Operators Bolster Winter Reliability Amid Load Growth and Supply Constraints
Extreme cold events, increasing demand, and the potential for tight supply conditions continue to challenge grid reliability.
U.S. grid operators and utilities are intensifying winter preparedness efforts to ensure reliable electricity supplies, even as rising demand and supply constraints heighten the risk of…Read the full report
Key Takeaways
- Peak demand has risen by 20 GW since the last winter while total bulk power system resources have increased by a smaller amount of 9.4 GW, according to NERC.
- Winter electricity consumption is projected to be 2.7 percent above the five-year average, reaching 1,035 TWh and representing the second-highest level of the past five years, after last winter’s record, according to FERC.
- PJM, the nation's largest grid operator, anticipates 180,800 MW of capacity to serve a projected peak demand of roughly 145,700 MW, a new record if reached.
