The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) has released its 2025 Summer Reliability Assessment, indicating a positive outlook for electricity supply in Ohio and other states within the PJM Interconnection. The report suggests that the region is at a low risk of resources falling below required operating reserves, even during peak summer heat.
NERC conducts evaluations twice annually, in May and November, to ensure reliable power supply across the nation, especially during extreme weather conditions. This assessment follows concerns from previous years when Ohio narrowly avoided blackouts during a severe cold snap in December 2022. During that period, southern states experienced outages due to high electricity demand exceeding available supply.
In recent winters, NERC identified PJM as at risk of insufficient reserves amid extreme cold, largely due to the retirement of baseload coal plants. Over the past decade, more than a dozen coal plants have closed in Ohio because of stricter environmental regulations—a trend seen in other regions as well.
However, summer poses fewer reliability issues compared to winter. Natural gas-fired power plants are more accessible for electricity generation during this season since demand for heating decreases. Additionally, natural gas lines are less likely to freeze compared to winter months.
According to NERC’s latest assessment: “resources will be sufficient” to meet electricity demand even on the hottest days’ peak hours.
