Written on: February 14, 2026
From the National Propane Gas Association Bobtail
NPGA staff recently published a summary of the 2025 Long-Term Reliability Assessment (LTRA) issued by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) earlier this year. The report evaluates the reliability of the North American bulk power system over the 2026–2035 period and raises growing concerns about the grid’s ability to keep pace with accelerating electricity demand. NERC finds that long-term reliability conditions are deteriorating as electricity demand – driven largely by data centers and broader electrification – grows faster than new firm generation and transmission infrastructure. The assessment concludes that 13 of 23 regions now face resource adequacy challenges over the next decade, with projected peak demand growth reaching historic levels. At the same time, rapid retirements of dispatchable generation and an increasing reliance on weather-dependent resources are adding operational risk and planning uncertainty.
The report also highlights widespread transmission delays, noting that hundreds of projects have been pushed back due to permitting, siting, and supply-chain constraints. NERC emphasizes that without changes to planning, permitting, and resource strategies, timing mismatches between load growth and infrastructure development will continue to elevate reliability risks across much of the country. For the propane industry, the assessment highlights an expanding role for propane in supporting grid reliability, particularly as on-site, dispatchable power becomes increasingly critical amid rising demand and infrastructure delays.
For more information about the NERC Long-Term Reliability Assessment, contact NPGA’s Senior Manager for State Government Affairs, Austin Wicker at awicker@npga.org.
