Events

Resource Adequacy Fundamentals and Emerging Trends

NARUC Professional Development
Track: Electricity

October 13, 14, 15, 2026, 2-4 PM Eastern, Live online

Overview:

Resource adequacy examines the likelihood of having sufficient electricity resources to meet demand. It is a fundamental component of reliability assessed by NERC. The deployment of solar, wind, and energy storage resources, as well as increasing demand for data centers, other large loads, and power plant retirements, is raising concerns about electricity shortages. Resource adequacy analysts are adapting their models and methodologies to reflect these issues, raising policy implications that energy regulators must understand and address. Resource Adequacy Fundamentals and Emerging Trends provides students with an understanding of the fundamental assumptions, modeling methodologies, and interpretation of results of resource adequacy studies. It also explores emerging issues, including rapid increases in electricity demand, the integration of large amounts of renewables and energy storage, and how resource adequacy contributes to the overall reliability and resilience of the grid.

Fees:

NARUC State, Associate, and Federal Members: $265
Other State, Federal Government, and International Agencies / NASUCA Members / Academia: $465
All Others: $665

Register

Learning Objectives:

At the end of this course, participants will understand:

  • How resource adequacy fits into the overall assessment of the reliability and resiliency of the grid.
  • Resource adequacy metrics, such as loss of load expectation (LOLE) and expected unserved energy (EUE), and how they are calculated and interpreted.
  • The key assumptions and basic modeling approaches to resource adequacy, and how they are being adapted in response to the numerous ongoing changes in supply and demand conditions, such as extreme weather and the increasing deployment of wind, solar energy, and energy storage.
  • How utilities outside of RTOs/ISOs and market participants within RTOs/ISOs plan and respond to resource adequacy requirements.
  • The connection between resource adequacy and capacity markets.
  • Important implications or resource adequacy policies and assessments that state regulators, utilities, and other stakeholders should consider.

Course Outline:

Day 1: Reliability Fundamentals and the Role of Resource Adequacy

  • Roles of FERC, NERC, RTOs/ISOs, utilities, and State Commissions
  • Key definitions and concepts: reliability, resiliency, operational security, and resource adequacy
  • Reliability standards and metrics for the bulk power and distribution systems, their definitions, and how to interpret them

Day 2: Resource Adequacy Modeling, Results, and Interpretations

  • Resource adequacy modeling assumptions, inputs, calculations, and outputs
  • Review of recent resource adequacy studies and emerging trends in its modeling
  • How resource adequacy modeling complements other modeling efforts such as generation and transmission expansion planning

Day 3: Resource Adequacy Implications for Utilities, RTOs/ISOs, and Commissions

  • Role of resource adequacy in integrated resource planning
  • Generation capacity requirements and markets in RTOs/ISOs
  • The implications of resource adequacy assessments, policies, and proposals for state policymakers

    Lead Instructor: Frank Felder, Ph.D.

    Frank is a long-standing instructor, consultant, and researcher who has trained over 3,000 professionals in short courses for twenty-five years, covering topics such as resource adequacy and grid reliability, electricity markets including RTOs/ISOs, renewable integration, and energy efficiency in the United States and over a dozen other countries.

    Joined by: Commissioner Marcus Hawkins (Wisconsin Public Service Commission).

    Marcus Hawkins was appointed to the Wisconsin Public Service Commission to serve as a Commissioner on April 8, 2024. Prior to joining the PSC, Marcus was the Executive Director of the Organization of MISO States (OMS), a regional association of state utility commissions, where he represented state interests before the regional grid operator and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.