The U.S. electric grid is in transition. It is continuing a shift from fossil fuel-based systems of energy production to renewable energy sources and energy storage resources. Meanwhile, growth in electricity demand is starting to accelerate, and grid reliability challenges are on the rise, prompting questions about the nature and pace of reforms needed to ensure reliability during the transition. This report investigates these questions and explains how industry changes and reform efforts impact different areas of reliability. It explores the drivers of grid transition and offers a primer on reliability – including how reliability needs are evolving – and the various reforms being pursued to ensure a reliable future grid.
Author: The Brattle Group (Metin Celebi, Andrew Levitt, Andrew W. Thompson, Ragini Sreenath, Xander Bartone, Samuel Willett, Hazel Ethier)
This resource was commissioned by or produced by staff of the Center for Applied Environmental Law and Policy before the organization rebranded as Ridgeline Center for Law and Policy in 2026.