What is a primary goal of reliability standards established by NERC?

The primary goal of reliability standards established by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) is to ensure the safety and reliability of the electrical grid. These standards are designed to create a stable, reliable electric system that can withstand various challenges, including natural disasters and technology failures. By focusing on maintaining system reliability, NERC aims to ensure that electricity is delivered consistently and without interruption to consumers, thus safeguarding both supply and demand.

NERC's reliability standards address various aspects of grid operation, including effective communication among operators, evaluation of system impacts, and development of practices that help prevent outages. This focus on reliability is critical in maintaining public confidence in the electrical system and mitigating the risk of vast repercussions from grid failures.

While promoting competition or addressing market pricing may feature in broader energy policy discussions, they are not the primary focus of the reliability standards set forth by NERC. Similarly, eliminating renewable energy sources is contrary to the overall trend of integrating more diverse energy sources into the grid to enhance reliability and sustainability.