The continued reliability of North America's high-voltage electricity grids, and the security of the customers whose electricity supplies depend on them, are at stake.
Legislation is needed now to allow for the timely creation of a viable reliability organization.
The longer it takes to establish this new system, the greater becomes the risk and magnitude of grid failures. The ERO will be authorized to develop and enforce mandatory reliability rules. I have been working since that time to address reliability issues at the federal level. The legislation I am introducing today with Congressman Wynn would ensure that better communications and back-up power provisions are in place to prevent these types of occurrences in the future, and respond to emergency situations.