FEDERALhearing transcript

Senate Hearing on Electric Grid Performance During Winter Storms

Original title: THE PERFORMANCE OF THE ELECTRIC POWER SYSTEM IN THE NORTHEAST AND MID-ATLANTIC DURING RECENT WINTER WEATHER EVENTS, INCLUDING THE BOMB CYCLONE

January 1, 2019

energy infrastructure winter weather electric grid natural gas public utilities

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The Frame

What this does

This hearing evaluates the resilience of the regional power grid, which directly impacts the reliability of electricity and heating services for millions of residents during extreme winter weather events.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Electric utility customers in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic

These residents rely on the power grid for heating and electricity during extreme weather events.

Grid operators (PJM Interconnection, ISO New England)

These organizations are responsible for managing the power supply and grid stability during high-demand weather events.

What changed

Last recorded activity January 1, 2019.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources held a hearing to examine how the electric power systems in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions performed during severe winter weather, specifically the '' event in early 2018. The committee heard testimony from federal energy officials and grid operators regarding grid reliability and the impact of extreme weather on energy infrastructure.

Key Facts

The hearing took place on January 23, 2018, to review the performance of the electric power system during recent winter weather events.
The scope of the review included the 'Bomb Cyclone' weather event in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.
The committee received testimony from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the U.S. Department of Energy.
Grid operators PJM Interconnection and ISO New England provided testimony regarding their operational performance during the weather events.
The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) provided an assessment of grid reliability.
Senator Cantwell entered a report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine titled 'Enhancing the Resilience of the Nation's Electricity System' into the record.
Senator Angus King submitted charts illustrating the link between natural gas prices and wholesale electricity prices.

Why It Matters

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the purpose of this hearing?

The hearing was held to understand how the electric grid in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic handled the stress of severe winter weather, including the '' event.

Who testified at the hearing?

Witnesses included the Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Assistant Secretary of the Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability, the CEO of the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, and the CEOs of grid operators and .

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift80% confidence

Grid Resilience Focus

The hearing highlights a shift toward prioritizing 'resilience'—the ability to withstand and recover from extreme weather—rather than just standard reliability.

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission U.S. Department of Energy

Connected Entities

personAllison Clements“President, goodgrid LLC”Map →

personGordon van Welie“President & CEO, ISO New England”Map →

personMaria Cantwell“Ranking Member of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources”Map →

personLisa Murkowski“Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources”Map →

personAndrew L. Ott“President & CEO, PJM Interconnection, L.L.C.”Map →

personBruce J. Walker“Assistant Secretary, Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability, U.S.”Map →

personCharles A. Berardesco“Interim President and CEO, North American Electric Reliability Corporation”Map →

personKevin J. McIntyre“Chairman, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.govinfo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance65
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy30
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment10
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz15
Current news / social attention level

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