FERC Approves New Standards to Bolster Grid Reliability Amid Surge in Wind and Solar Power

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has approved a new set of reliability standards designed to ensure the stability of the U.S. electric grid as more wind and solar resources come online.

The standards, developed by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), specifically target “inverter-based resources” (IBRs)—generation technologies such as solar and wind that rely on power electronics rather than traditional spinning machinery. These resources are playing an increasingly significant role in power generation but have raised concerns about their ability to respond to voltage and frequency disturbances on the grid.

The new rules require IBRs to remain connected to the grid during such disturbances—a capability known as “ride-through”—to prevent sudden losses of power that could destabilize the bulk electric system. Recent grid incidents have shown that without consistent ride-through performance, IBRs can unexpectedly drop offline, exacerbating reliability challenges.

“This is an important step toward ensuring that inverter-based resources support, rather than threaten, the reliability of the Bulk Power System,” said FERC Chairman Mark Christie. “I am appreciative of NERC’s hard work and application of their technical expertise in developing these necessary reliability standards.”

FERC’s action follows its October 2023 Order No. 901, which directed NERC to create a comprehensive suite of IBR-focused standards over a three-year timeline. Thursday’s final rule adopts many of the provisions outlined in a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking issued in December 2024.

Historically, reliability standards were tailored to traditional synchronous generators—coal, gas, hydro, and nuclear facilities that operate with large spinning machines. In contrast, IBRs use inverters to convert direct current to alternating current and require different technical considerations to maintain reliability.

The new rule will take effect 30 days after its publication in the Federal Register.