First Things RFirst: June 2025
Expert analysis for a more reliable, secure and resilient electric grid, plus news and updates for RF stakeholders.
Insights & Analysis
RF issues Summer Reliability Assessment
ReliabilityFirst (RF) projects both the MISO and PJM areas to have adequate resources to serve normal electric demand in the upcoming summer season, including during expected periods in which certain generation resources become unavailable.
However, if resource outages and/or demand are experienced beyond the established projections, there is an increased likelihood that corrective actions (like Load Modifying Resources and Operating Reserves) would need to be utilized to serve forecasted load. This risk of resource unavailability requiring corrective actions to be taken is elevated in the MISO area and low in the PJM area.
Regulatory Affairs: Grid reliability news we’re tracking
The latest regulatory headlines we’re tracking include:
- House subcommittee holds hearing on meeting growing energy demand
- FERC holds technical conference on resource adequacy
- FERC issues 2025 Summer Assessment
News & Updates
Three NERC Reliability Standard updates coming soon that registered entities should be aware of
NERC Reliability Standards are continually evolving, and ReliabilityFirst (RF) is here to help with what registered entities need to know, including potential impacts to your compliance program and when new standard versions will become effective. As we enter the later part of 2025, we can anticipate changes to the following:
- IRO-010-5: Reliability Coordinator Data and Information Specification and Collection
- TOP-003-6.1: Transmission Operator and Balancing Authority Data and Information Specification and Collection
- TOP-002-5: Operations Planning
NERC issues 2025 Summer Reliability Assessment
NERC released its annual 2025 Summer Reliability Assessment on May 14.
The assessment predicts that all regions of the North American electric grid are expected to have sufficient resources under normal operating and weather conditions this summer, but that some regions (specifically MISO, SPP, ERCOT, and parts of New England) may face supply shortfall risks during periods of extreme heat.
NERC also published an infographic and a video highlighting some of the key findings in the assessment.
Cold Weather Preparedness Small Group Advisory Sessions to be held in August
NERC and the Regional Entities, including ReliabilityFirst, will host Small Group Advisory Sessions (SGAS) to discuss the implementation of the Extreme Cold Weather Preparedness Standard, EOP-012-3. While this standard is still awaiting final FERC approval after it was filed with the commission in April, it has a proposed effective date of Oct. 1, 2025.
These meetings are tentatively planned for the week of Aug. 18, 2025, and will be held virtually via Webex. There will be a general session to discuss EOP-012-3 on Monday, Aug. 18. Then, SGAS One-on-One Sessions are planned for Tuesday, Aug. 19 – Friday, Aug. 22. These will be closed, one-on-one discussions between a registered entity’s Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) and ERO Enterprise staff about issues pertinent to that entity’s implementation of EOP-012-3 and any other cold weather-related concerns.
NERC will schedule the one-on-one sessions after registration is received and is coordinated with Regional Entity staff.
Upcoming Events
June 16, 2- 3:30 p.m. ET | Tech Talk with RF
Coming up on the June edition of Tech Talk with RF, we’ll examine two recent international power grid disturbances and then take a deep dive into the growing impact of inverter-based resources (IBRs) on system performance and planning, focusing on both current and projected trends within the RF footprint.
June 16, 2- 3:30 p.m. ET | Tech Talk with RF
Save the date for our July edition of Tech Talk with RF on July 21! Stay tuned for agenda details to be posted on our website calendar and LinkedIn feed.
July 16, 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. CT | Texas RE Evolving Grid Workshop
Texas RE will hold an Evolving Grid Workshop to explore the reliability and security issues for the Texas Interconnection in 2034. The workshop will focus on the trends that will influence electric reliability and security over the next ten years and beyond.
Aug. 6, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. ET | Protection System Workshop
Register now for RF’s 11th Protection System Workshop on Aug. 6, 2025. This event will be held virtually via WebEx. The agenda and additional information are currently being developed and will be available soon.
Aug. 7, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. ET | Human Performance Workshop
Register now for RF’s 8th Annual Human Performance Workshop on Aug. 7, 2025. This event will be held virtually via WebEx. The agenda and additional information are currently being developed and will be available soon.
Aug. 19-21, 2025 | CIP Low Impact Workshop
Register now for RF’s CIP Low Impact Workshop on Aug. 19-21, held in-person at the RF Office in Cleveland. The workshop will give attendees the opportunity to improve their understanding of security and compliance for CIP assets containing low impact BES Cyber Systems.
Sept. 8-10, 2025 | RF Fall Reliability & Security Summit
Save the date for RF’s 2025 Fall Reliability & Security Summit! This year’s event is planned for Sept. 8-10 in the Washington, D.C., area. Stay tuned for more details.
Nov. 18-19, 2025 | GridEx VIII
GridEx is the largest grid security exercise in North America, hosted every two years by the NERC Electricity Information Sharing and Analysis Center (E-ISAC). It offers E-ISAC member and partner organizations a forum in which to practice how they would respond to and recover from coordinated cyber and physical security threats and incidents.
The last event in 2023 saw more than 15,000 participants come together from approximately 250 North American organizations, including the electric industry, cross-sector partners from gas and telecommunications, and U.S. and Canadian government partners.
To explore our full calendar of upcoming events, click here.
First Things RFirst: June 2025